The Violinist
by kjwalker
Summary: Maxine(Max) Stirling is left in the hands of her stepfather,Nick Fury,after her parents die.One night she meets the handsome Captain America on the roof of the Triskelion. They drink away their sorrows and find comfort in one another.A night of passion leads to an accidental pregnancy. How will Steve Rogers handle becoming a father? Follows events of Captain America:TWS/Avengers 2.
1. Chapter 1

**Hello, and welcome to my newest Captain America fanfic! Thanks so much for reading. I've been dying to write this ever since I got the idea a few weeks ago. I hope you guys like it.**

 **On we go...**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing Marvel.**

 **The Violinist**

 **Chapter One:**

 **October 1997**

In a sleepy town in Michigan, just southeast of Detroit, a young girl wept on her birthday. She hid under the pink butterfly comforter on her bed with all of her stuffed animal friends tucked around her. Her pink and purple tutu scrunched up as she curled onto her side and sniffled. She listened to the voices outside her bedroom.

"She's five, Nick, and she's damn smart," her mother said.

"I get that, Emily. You still could have held off on telling her until tomorrow," her uncle replied.

Her mom choked up. "Her father died. He _died_ and she had a right to know why he wouldn't be here today."

"I'm just saying you could have let her have a fun birthday and then told her after," he explained.

"Well there's nothing we can do about it now," she remarked. "Let's see if she's ready for cake. Maybe it'll make her feel better."

"Gonna need a lot of cake to do that," he half-joked.

"Maxine, baby, do you want some cake?" her mother asked, coming into the room.

The little girl peeked out from under the blanket and shook her head no. Her mother frowned and looked at the man standing next to her for some help. He stepped forward and flung back the blanket exposing the girl. Before she could cover herself again, he scooped her up and threw her over his shoulder.

"Uncle Nick, put me down!" She kicked and screamed and cried until he set her down at the dining room table. Her mother began lighting the five pink candles on the butterfly cake.

"Now sit there and act happy for the sake of your mother," he ordered.

When her mother was done with the candles, she looked at her daughter and waited for her to blow them out.

A minute passed and Maxine remained still. "Make a wish, baby girl."

The girl thought for a second and then blew out the flames with a big huff.

"What did you wish for, Maxi?" Uncle Nick asked.

"My daddy," she answered truthfully.

Her mom and Nick exchanged a sorrowful look.

Her uncle cut her a piece of cake and placed it in front of her. "Eat up, kiddo."

They all ate their cake in silence. After they cleared the table, Maxine's presents were set out in front of her.

"This one is from me," the man told her, handing her a small square box. She tore into it and opened the lid. Inside she found a beautiful silver necklace with an 'M' and a butterfly hanging from it. "As long as you're wearing this, I'll always be able to find you."

"That's adorable, Nick. What do you say, Max?" her mother commented.

"Thank you, Uncle Nick."

Her mother nodded and slid the larger rectangular present towards her. "This one is from your father and me."

Max ripped the paper and pushed it out of the way. Before even unlatching the locks and opening the case, she knew what it was. Her eyes teared up as her eyes racked over the brand new Stradivarius violin. Gingerly she plucked one of the strings and closed her eyes as she listened to the note ring through the room.

She slammed the case shut and bolted to her room. Throwing herself on her bed, she pulled the covers over her head and sobbed. Her father had given her the one thing she thought she wanted more than anything in the world only, now, all she wanted was him.

 **September 2002**

Max sat in an all-white room watching TV while her mother slept next to her. She was exhausted but wouldn't let herself sleep in case her mom needed her. It had been a rough couple of days and today wasn't looking any better.

Her mother coughed and cracked open her sunken eyes. Max jumped up and poured a glass of water for her mom. She carefully held it to her lips and let her drink.

"Than—thank you, baby girl," her mom croaked.

"Of course, mama. How are you feeling?" she asked.

Her mom adjusted the bed so she could sit up straighter. "I'm just tired, Maxi," her mom insisted and glanced around the room. "Where's your, stepfather?"

"He had a phone call he needed to take," the girl explained.

The door opened and Nick entered as if he sensed them talking about him.

"Ah, there's my wonderful husband," her mother smiled. "Max, why don't you go get something to eat at the cafeteria. I wanna talk to Nick for a bit. See if Nat will take you."

The ten-year-old opened the door and was greeted by a redhead in a blue spandex suit with a gray eagle symbol on her upper arm. "Hey, Natasha. Mom said we should go eat."

The door closed and Nick looked at his ailing wife. "She's so grown up."

"She didn't have a choice when I got sick. I needed help and she stepped up while you were away," the woman admitted.

"I'm sorry I haven't been here like you needed me to be. I thought moving you to S.H.I.E.L.D.'s headquarters would mean I could be with you more," Nick said. "But with everything that happened last September and shitstorm that followed, it just meant more work for me."

She placed her hand on top of his larger one and spoke, "I understand, honey. You're the director now and with that comes more responsibilities. It was the same when Thomas was alive and he was on missions all the time. I knew what I was getting myself into."

"But now you're almost out of time," he mumbled. "The cancer…it's going to take you sooner rather than later and then what am I supposed to do?"

"You will move on and continue to raise Max. You'll be all she has left in the world. She will need you and you're going to have to be there for her, protect her," Emily said strongly. "You'll be her father, Nick."

 **December 2013**

She stood quietly at her mother's grave on the anniversary of her death. It had been eleven years since she passed, sixteen since her father had, and today was the only day of the year she got to visited them.

A hand rested on her lower back and she turned to see Nick Fury beside her. He stared at the matching headstones with melancholy eyes. Snow began falling in big flakes.

"Our plane leaves in an hour. We should go," her stepfather muttered.

They stood there a moment longer before saying their silent goodbyes and leaving the cemetery.

The car ride to the airport was quiet. Max stared out the window at the place she once called home and all the memories she had left behind here. It was here in Michigan where she had learned her father was never coming home, where her mother first fell sick; but it was also full of some of her best memories. This is where she learned how to play violin, where her father taught her how to ride a bicycle and where her favorite uncle became her stepfather.

They arrived at the airport with a half hour to spare before their plane was set to take off. She exited the town car and gazed up at the small aircraft with a black S.H.I.E.L.D. eagle painted on the side.

A sigh escaped her and she followed her stepfather towards the plane.

"I'm going to see if we can't take off now. Agent Hill says Jane Foster's just arrived with Thor and they're ready to be debriefed on the events in London," Fury enlightened her.

"Okay."

Max trudged slowly behind him up the stairs and into plane. She picked a plush chair, took off her winter coat and got comfortable; pulling out the book she started to read on the way here and tucking her legs under her.

The plane thrummed to life beneath her sending a gentle vibration through her body. Nick appeared and took the seat across from her. He rested his head in his hand and observed her with his one eye.

"I'm fine," Max insisted before he could say anything.

"Yeah…so am I," he agreed in a voice laced with sadness. "So what's on the agenda when we get back?"

She laid her book on the tiny table in between them and pulled out her tablet. "You have to approve the teams selected to go in and investigate what was left behind from the battle in London—that's the last thing for today since we're getting back so late. I moved the debriefing with Jane and Thor to tomorrow at nine a.m. Your boxing workout with Tiger is at ten, and then you and Hill are supposed to fly out to meet with Dr. Chan about the new developments with Project T.A.H.I.T.I. at noon."

Fury nodded. "How's the Captain America exhibit coming along?"

"Great. Charlotte is working really hard to finish up a few last-minute things. It's expected to open in January as planned," Max replied.

"Let her know the Captain's and the Howling Commandos' uniforms are ready to be sent over," he ordered and she typed out a reminder on her calendar. "Did she get the clips of Peggy Carter's interviews?"

Max nodded and continued tapping away on her tablet. Life as her stepfather's personal assistant was always busy.

The remainder of the flight was spent making arrangements and ironing out details for upcoming events. For the past year this was how Max spent her time; she hardly had time for anything else but being the director's P.A.

"Preparing for landing, Sir," Agent Jackson, the pilot, announced.

As soon as the plane touched down and the door opened, Fury jetted off to take care of business. She stood and collected her things when a hand materialized holding her book.

"Don't wanna for get this," Agent Jackson said.

She took the book from him and tucked it inside her carryon, giving him a polite smile. "Thank you, Agent Jackson. I would have missed it."

"I'm sure. You see to know my name. What's yours, beautiful?" he flirted and winked at her.

She took in his dark brown hair, the five o'clock shadow highlighting his strong jawline and the black nerd glasses shielding his jade-colored eyes. He was definitely a good-looking man and he thought she was beautiful.

She blushed. "You're too sweet. I'm Director Fury's assistant, Maxine."

They shook hands and stood there awkwardly silent for a moment. Their eyes stayed locked on each other until someone cleared their throat, drawing their attention towards the front of the plane.

"Forgot my phone," Fury revealed. He glared at the man who had been openly flirting with his stepdaughter as he retrieved his phone. "Come on, Max, we've got things to do."

She started to follow Fury and glanced back at the handsome agent. "Goodbye, Agent Jackson."

"Maxine," he smiled and bowed slightly.

The business that needed to be taken care of before bed was finished and Max retired to her room just after one in the morning. She curled up in bed and thanked god that the day was finally coming to a close. She relaxed back into her favorite pillow and drifted off to sleep.

* * *

The next morning was jam packed pull of tasks to complete and errands to run for the director. Her only break came during lunchtime when Fury was boxing with his trainer. She grabbed some food from the cafeteria and rode the elevator to the top floor of the Triskelion. From there, she climbed a flight of stairs and found herself standing outside with the bright sun shining down on her. She sat on the edge of the building and ate her lunch as she stared out at the river sparkling below her. This was her favorite place to come when she needed to relax and unwind. Fury had told her once that she got her love of being up high from her father, who was known for scaling tall buildings during fights so he could take out his opponents stealthily.

She ate quickly and met Fury in his office. He stood looking out the window in gym shorts and a white wife beater.

"Sir, your plane is scheduled to take off in an hour. Maybe a shower would be in order before leaving?" she laughed.

He turned and gave her a joking glare. "I'm aware of the schedule, Maxi, but thanks."

"Our teams in London have reported back. The Dark Elf bodies that were discovered, along with the other artifacts recovered, are in the process of being sent to the Fridge," Man informed him.

"Good. Prep the files on T.A.H.I.T.I. and send them to me. I want to know as much as possible on the new developments before—."

"I could accompany you. I'm up to date on all of it," she offered.

He shook his head. "Absolutely not. You know I don't want you out in the field."

"But you've trained me like all the other agents and it's not a combat mission. You're just meeting with some scientists and then flying back," she argued.

"You know better than anyone how quickly a seemingly harmless mission can go south. Or have you forgotten how your father died?" he asked harshly. Her face fell to the floor. "You're my daughter, my responsibility, and you will stay here where you're safe. Now get the files ready and send them to me."

She exhaled loudly and stomped out of the office. It took her two seconds to email Fury the files he requested and then she went to the gym to blow off some steam. Being the director's 'daughter' was a pain in the ass ninety-five percent of the time.

* * *

Max was still upset about her disagreement with her stepfather earlier in the day and decided to head up to the roof to watch the sunset. She climbed the stairs and pushed open the roof door, letting the fresh air welcome her. But it wasn't the only thing greeting her as she stepped out onto the patio area.

Sitting on the edge of the building holding a strange golden wine bottle was Captain America. She stayed there frozen not knowing what to do. Should she leave? Should she walk up and start a conversation? Before she could decide what to do, the Super Soldier twisted around and spotted her.

"Evening, ma'am," he greeted with a smile.

"Uhh…Hi," she replied shyly.

He stood and asked, "Would you like to join me? There's more than enough space up here for the both of us."

She strode over a sat on the wall. The captain reclaimed his spot and stared at her. Self-conscious under his gaze, Max shifted and raised her eyes to meet his. His sandy blond hair moved gently with the breeze and his blue eyes twinkled in the moonlight; he was gorgeous.

Since his miraculous recovery two years ago after being frozen for decades, Max had heard stories of women falling head over heels for him. She thought the women were pathetic floozies, but now she understood their wild infatuation with the six-foot-two muscle man.

He tipped back the wine bottle he had and she caught a glimpse of a glowing green liquid coming out. Now that she was closer, she could see tiny intricate designs adorning the outside of the bottle. It looked some kind of language.

"What's in that bottle you're drinking from?" she asked.

He licked his lips getting the rest of the liquid from them; she was distracted by it for a minute before her spoke, "This? It's Asgardian wine. Thor gave me a bottle of it last night when he arrived. He was devastated the last time we drank together that I couldn't get buzzed."

"Why does America's favorite hero want to get wasted?" she laughed.

"Today's a rough day for me," he admitted. "My best friend, well he died… sixty-eight years ago today, but it only feels like two years to me. Guess I'm still getting over it."

"What's it taste like?"

He held out the bottle to her. "You wanna try it?" he questioned. Max grasped it and hesitated for a second. "Careful, it's strong."

She took a small sip and gagged violently. "Holy shit!"

He chuckled. "What's your name, kid?"

"Maxine," she choked out. "But everyone calls me Max."

"Pleasure to meet you, Max."

She returned the bottle and said, "Pleasure's all mine, Captain."

He took a quick swig. "Just Steve," he insisted.

They fell silent and continued to pass the wine between them. It was clear that it was affecting her way more quickly than it was him.

 _Stupid Super Soldier serum,_ she thought.

"Why does a pretty dame like you want to get drunk?" he asked after a while.

Not wanting to discuss her parental situation with someone she just met, even if it was Captain America, she made a joke.

"I'm Director Fury's personal assistant. There's _always_ a reason for me to drink.'

They laughed.

They swung their legs over the side of the building and let them dangle. Somehow during their movement, Max ended up closer to the soldier. Every part of them, from their shoulders to their feet, touched. Tiny tingles of electricity coursed through her body and made her blood race from her head to her gently-throbbing core.

Clouds covered the sky and blocked out the moon. A chill ran through the air and made Max shiver.

"We should probably head inside," he suggested and set the now empty wine bottle down beside him.

She shook her head. "I'm not ready for bed yet. I want to stay out a little longer."

They sat quietly for another few minutes before Max felt a drop of water hit the top of her head. Before she could turn to Steve and tell him it was starting to rain, it was coming down heavy. She screamed and whipped around, drunkenly stumbling towards the door. Steve came up behind Max and wrapped an arm around her waist, helping her get inside faster.

By the time they were both out of the rain, they were laughing hysterically.

"Oh my god, that was awesome!" she giggled and leaned into him. "We are _so_ wet."

He smirked and proposed, "We could continue this party in my room."

She smiled up at him and nodded. Max could see the heat in his eyes that matched her own desire and, at the moment, they were too drunk to realize what kind of trouble they were barreling towards.

* * *

 **So that's the first chapter, ladies and gents. It felt so good to get it started. Let me know what you think, yeah? Just a warning that the next chapter is going to get HOT. Hope you all are ready for some sexy Captain America-ness! Oh, who am I kidding? Everyone is _always_ ready for some sexy Captain America-ness. **

**Thanks so much for reading. Sorry for any spelling/grammar mistakes. I skimmed through but might have missed some. Until next time! -KAITi**


	2. Chapter 2

**Hello, lovelies! Here's chapter 2. I hope you guys are liking the story so far. REMEMBER this chapter contains VERY GRAPHIC MATERIAL. This is my first attempt at a sex scene so bear with me. THANKS to everyone who's followed/favorited! You rock. And thanks to everyone for reading :D**

 **On we go...**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing Marvel.**

* * *

 **The Violinist**

 **Chapter 2:**

Max's heart pounded as they entered Steve's room at S.H.I.E.L.D.'s headquarters. His arms was wrapped low on her waist and she was tucked against his side. They stumbled into the living room area laughing for no reason. Steve tried to throw his keys on top of the kitchen counter but they went wide and bounced off the refrigerator, which only caused them to laugh harder.

She flung herself on the king-sized bed, deciding that it would make her intentions for the remainder of the night more clear.

 _Man do I get slutty when I'm wasted,_ she thought.

"What do you wanna do?" he asked as he leaned against the counter across the room.

She gave him a wicked smile and beckoned him closer with her index finger. "This bed is too big for just one person."

He strolled over to the bed and laid down next to on his side. They gazed at each other and Max, feeling brave, reached out and ran her hand through his blond hair. He closed his eyes and leaned closer.

"I've never been with a woman," he whispered truthfully.

"That's okay," she replied quietly. "I can show you."

She stood from the bed and grabbed his hand, tugging him up with her. They stood a couple inches apart, breathing heavy with the anticipation. Max stared at her hands wound in the center of his shirt and prepared herself for what was about to happen.

Her short light brown hair hung in her face as she slowly undid the pearl buttons of her vintage blouse revealing a white lace bra underneath. Next, she unzipped her black skirt and let it pool at her feet. She looked up at his blue eyes as they took in her half-naked form.

Choosing to let him undress the rest of her, she slid her fingers under the bottom of his shirt and lifted it up and over his head. His blond hair was ruffled but it only made him look sexier. Quickly, she removed his jeans let her eyes rake over his gorgeous body.

It was smooth, a chiseled landscape, the hard muscles close to the surface, and she basked in the feel of the curving planes beneath her hands. He shivered as she ran her fingertips over his stomach, up the curve of the small of his back, spreading them over the muscles as they widened over his shoulders, and her hands curved over them and moved down over his arms, squeezing his huge biceps. She skimmed her hands down farther until she reached his hands. Slowly, she placed his enormous hands on her hips and waited for him to make a move.

Max raised her eyes to meet his and checked for any signs that he wanted to stop. He didn't say anything. Instead, his right hand found its way under her bottom and his left slowly moved upwards, along her waist and ribcage, to her breast. She inhaled sharply when he settled on his destination, stunned by his sudden confidence. He leaned in and gently kissed her, unsure at first, but then deeply, caressing her as he explored her mouth.

Steve pulled away and they stood there breathless for a moment. His eyes sought hers and he asked her silently if he was doing everything right. She nodded, pulling him back against her. The soldier trailed kisses from her mouth, down her neck and landed on the sensitive spot where her neck met her shoulder. He nibbled lightly and continued to venture lower.

Her heart raced as her neared her breast, shedding her bra, and when he took her nipple in his mouth, she was completely lost. Max whimpered and ran her fingers through his hair, and he moaned as he delighted in her, cupping her breast in his hand, tonguing her until it was almost too much to bear.

He moved to her other breast and gave it just as much attention. She was learning fast that he would not be hurried, no matter how desperate her responses. For a man with no prior experience, he was doing exceedingly well. Without warning, he pushed her back onto the bed, both of them panting. She could see the hunger in his eyes as he climbed on top, holding her captive with his entire weight settling down on her. He wormed his way between Max's thighs, allowing her to feel the hardness of him there, sending tiny shivers of pleasure coursing through her when he pushed his stone hard cock against her core. She gasped, arching up against him, and offering her neck to him.

She reveled in the feel of his teeth teasing the tender skin and the tickle of his warm breath. Max shuddered and whimpered against him, kneading herself against the hot column bulging between her legs as the caress of his lips on her neck became a long, erotic kiss.

 _I can't believe this is happening,_ Max thought.

The pressure of his cock between her thighs was heating her up and melting her from the inside out. Her head fell back on the bed and she gazed up at him. Steve gently gripped the back of her head with one hand, his fingers getting lost in her hair, and gave her an intense look. He leaned in closer. Then their lips touched.

Max was lost once again, drowning in a kiss that was blissful and deep and ravenous.

"Please," she begged as they paused to catch their breath. "Steve…please."

He pulled back and regarded her with nervous eyes. This was the part he was really worried about messing up and Max had to be the one to take charge.

She wriggled out of her panties; Steve moving out of the way so she could let them fall to the floor. He knelt between her legs as she spread them wider. Their eyes met as he poised himself over her. She quivered against him when she felt him outside her slick entrance, and if she would have been in her right mind, she would have been nervous—if she would have even allowed it to get this far. Instead, she answered his silent question with a nod of her head and quietly saying, "Yes, Steve. Yes."

He obliged her with one long, deep stroke. Max moaned in pleasure and waited for him to move. Steve began pumping in and out, slowly at first, kind of awkwardly, and then with increasing power and certainty. Her deepest instincts took over, leaving no room for dwelling on doubts, no room for anything except the wonderful friction of their bodies meeting and separating and meeting again.

When she couldn't take anymore pleasure, she fell apart in Steve's arms. He groaned, face buried in her neck, as he gave one final, epic thrust before pulling out and rolling off of her. They curled up next to each other, eventually passing out from the alcohol and physical exertion.

* * *

Max's head was throbbing when she cracked one eye open in morning. The bright sun streamed through the bedroom window, instantly making her bury her face in the pillow.

 _Sun?_ She wondered. _I have blackout curtains in my room…_

She bolted upright and immediately regretted it. Her head swam, her joints screamed and her stomach rolled with nausea. She dropped her head and tried to think through the pain. No matter how hard she tried to remember where she was or who she was with the previous night, it wouldn't come.

A sharp gasp escaped her as she took in her naked body that had been uncovered when she sat up. Falling back onto the pillows, Max pulled the comforter over her and looked around the room. She noticed she was alone, the other side of the bed empty and cold. The room was painted a pale blue with light furniture and white bedding. The walls were bare as were the tops of the dresser and nightstands. A small living room area was to the right and a kitchen was to the left by the front door.

 _Who the hell lives here?_ She asked herself.

Rolling out of the enormous bed, Max collected her clothes off the floor and dressed. She walked over to the window and glanced outside happy to see the familiar view of the water. She was still at the Triskelion. As she wandered into the kitchen, still searching for clues to tell her who the occupant was that stayed here, her foot knocked into something. It clattered to the ground and it all became clear.

Lying on the kitchen floor in front of her all polished and shiny, was Captain America's shield.

She sighed and whispered, "Fuck."

* * *

As soon as she left his room she sprinted to her own place and jumped in the shower. She grabbed something quick to eat and booked it to Fury's office for her usual morning rundown of the day.

Max had made it in the office only moments before her stepfather entered.

"Morning, Maxi," he greeted.

"Director," she replied.

He set his cup of coffee on his long glass desk and took a seat in his chair. "What's on the schedule for today?"

She flipped the cover off of her tablet and told him, "You have two hours blocked out for work on Project Insight first thing. At eleven, you're meeting with the council. Noon is your boxing workout with Tiger." he paused and glanced up at him before clearing her throat and continuing, "Umm…at two a plane will take you to Bogota where you'll meet up with Captain Rogers."

Fury nodded.

"If you don't mind me asking, sir, what's Captain Roger's doing in Columbia?" she asked.

"He was sent out this morning following a lead on a S.H.I.E.L.D. ship we believe might be in danger of a hijacking. One of our sources he's spoken to has said he will only talk with me. I was hoping by sending Captain Rogers, the man would fall for his politeness and spill. Guess not," he explained.

Max had to disguise her feelings like she was taught in her agent training. "Well I hope you have a safe trip," she smiled and turned to leave.

All she had to do was keep her distance from Fury for a day or two so that he wouldn't know. He could never find out that she had slept with Steve Rogers.

* * *

 **That's chapter 2, folks. I really hope you guys liked it. Let me know what you think. I apologize for any spelling/grammar mistakes. The next chapter will be up in a couple of days. Thanks again for reading. Until next time. -KAITi**


	3. Chapter 3

**Hello wonderful readers! Here's the exciting chapter 3 where things really start rolling. It's so much fun writing this story and I hope you guys are enjoying it! THANKS to everyone who's followed/favorited and to those of you simply reading! Just so everything's clear, Max and Fury haven't let anyone except those who they trust, know about him being her stepfather. I kind of get into it in the chapter but just want to make sure everyone's on the same page.**

 **On we go...**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel's stuff.**

* * *

 **The Violinist**

 **Chapter 3:**

 **January 2014**

It had been just shy of five weeks since her…encounter with Captain America and it had been easy to avoid him since he had been away on a mission the entire time. Fury returned a few days after departing to meet the Super Soldier in Bogota, Colombia with mixed news. They had spent the following weeks doing damage control to try and ensure that nothing happened to their ships and the agents on board.

Today was a busy as any other for Max. Not only did she have to keep up with anything and everything her stepfather threw at her, she also had to make sure that the New Year kicked off with full medical checkups for all the agents present at the Triskelion. Unfortunately, that included her. Even though she wasn't technically an agent, she had been trained like one after her mother's death, and Fury insisted she be cleared of any health problems. He always said, "You never know what these people bring back with them after a mission".

So, after completing her scheduled events in the morning, Max found herself sitting in the lab with Dr. Schaffer as she poked and prodded her. The doctor took a blood and urine sample, checked her eyes and reflexes, and did a blood pressure test. She was sent her on her way after asking a variety of questions for extra-good measure. Max was nervous that Dr. Schaffer would ask her something that might lead back to her night with Captain Rogers, but she got away scotch free.

With all of her tasks completed for the day, she decided to call up her best friend who happened to be in town for the next couple of days.

It rang twice before the person on the other end answered, "Hey! I was getting ready to call you. Does this mean you're done working?"

"Yes it does. Want to grab some food? I'm _starving_ ," Max asked.

"Me too. Fury had me running training exercises with some of the newbies. If this is what I have to endure when I come home, I'd rather be on a mission."

"That bad, huh?" Max laughed. "Fury probably just wanted the best person teaching the kiddies, Nat."

The redhead sighed. "Yeah, I guess that's it. So what do you want to eat?"

"Everything. I'm kind of feeling a big burger and fries," she replied.

"That's fine with me. Meet at Pat's Bar in twenty?" Natasha suggested.

Max agreed and hung up. She ran back to her room and grabbed her purse before rushing to meet Nat.

They met up perfectly outside the bar and went inside, choosing their usual booth and ordering. It felt like ages since Max had seen Natasha, but that was how it worked as a field agent for S.H.I.E.L.D. The assassin had been a part of her life since she joined S.H.I.E.L.D. in October of 2001 and Max often thought of her as more of a sister than just a best friend.

"The best part of being back after a mission is the food. I seriously lived off of granola bars and powdered milk while I was in Ecuador," Nat told her.

Their drinks arrived and Max took a sip of her Sex on the Beach. "So where is Fury sending you next?"

"We're playing it by ear now. There's a ship that we've been tracking, one of ours, and we think someone's going to try and commandeer it. As soon as someone makes a move for it, I'm getting sent in," she explained.

"Just you? Isn't there usually a lot of manpower to take control of something that big?" Max wondered.

The redhead nodded and responded, "I'm going in with a small group of agents…and I think Fury said something about calling in Steve Rogers. He's been following the case from Colombia."

Max's eye widened and her cheeks reddened for a moment before she remembered to conceal her feelings. It seemed like she had heard mention of Captain America a lot more since her night of drunken passion and it was making it difficult to forget. Sure she didn't remember sleeping with him but she still had the awkward memory of waking up in his apartment alone and naked to remind her.

"I-I'm sure working with him is fun," Max mumbled.

"It's alright. I was with him when the shit hit the fan in New York last year. He's just a little too old-fashioned for my taste," Natasha remarked.

"I've never—," she started and was interrupted by the buzzing of her phone off. Max pulled it from the pocket of her blazer. Fury's picture was staring back at her as the phone continued to buzz in her hand. She accepted the call with a feeling of dread building in her gut.

* * *

The hot Colombian climate made running more of a challenge for Steve. By the time he was on his sixth lap around a small neighborhood on the outskirts of Bogota, he was drenched in sweat from head to toe. He'd been running a lot lately, more than usual, since his crazy night at the Triskelion with Max. And when he ran, he thought of her and their magical night together. They hardly knew each other but Steve was certain he wanted to see her again.

He returned to his hotel in the city and showered quickly before searching for some food. Steve hung up the phone when he had finished ordering room service and had just taken a seat on the couch when his phone started beeping.

He sighed and stood, crossing the room and answering it, "Hello?"

"Rogers, I need you to come home," the director informed him.

"But, sir, I thought-," he began.

Fury interrupted sternly, "You didn't think apparently, which is why I need you to get on the next flight and get your sorry ass back here, Captain."

Before he could respond, Fury hung up. He wondered if something had gone wrong with the mission, maybe one of the ships had already been hijacked, and that was why Fury was so angry? But from what Steve got from their brief conversation, it sounded like he had been the one to screw up. What could he have possibly done? He didn't know.

He shook his head and went to schedule his flight back to D.C. with a smile on his face. Maybe if things went well, he could see Max again while he's there.

* * *

It was late when Max was called to Fury's office. She didn't bother changing out of her pajamas—he'd seen her in them a million times. To her surprise, Max entered and froze when she locked eyes with Captain America. The corner of his mouth lifted in a half-smile as she took the seat next to him. Her mind was racing, memories of their night together going off like fireworks in her head; every explosion a new recollection. It was making it hard to hide her blushing cheeks from the blond man and her stepfather.

Fury stood at the window staring out into the night with his hands clasped behind his back. Steve and Max sat there in the deafening silence waiting for him to explain why they were there.

Tired of waiting, Max said, "Director, why did you call us in?"

She had grown used to hiding her personal connection to Fury when she first arrived at S.H.I.E.L.D. He knew that she could be used against him if more than a handful of trusted people knew their secret. To everyone, Max was simply the daughter of Fury's dead best friend.

"I have a billion things I worry about and I didn't need anything else added to the list," he told them.

"I don't understand, sir. Did we do something wrong? The mission—," Max began.

"The mission is not the problem. I received results from a blood sample the lab ran earlier today," he clarified.

Max's stomach dropped and her hands grew sweaty. "What did the results say?"

"They said," he paused and picked up a thin manila folder, handing it to her. "That my _assistant_ is pregnant."

She understood by the way he said 'assistant' that he secretly meant daughter. Nausea bubbled up into her throat and she tried hard to fight the urge to throw up.

Steve coughed and cleared his throat. "Excuse me, Director Fury, but why did you call me in for this?"

Fury's eye narrowed and Max was shocked that the captain didn't catch fire with the intensity of the glare he was getting. After a few long seconds, her stepfather gave a dry chuckle and wagged his finger towards Steve.

"You, Rogers, are here because of the security footage from the roof the night before you left. Seems Ms. Stirling found her way up there not too long after you and you all shared some pretty potent alcohol before leaving together. Want to tell me where you ended up going?" They stayed quiet. "No? Well I can tell you. The cameras on the fourteenth floor show both of you entering Captain Rogers's apartment and not leaving until the morning."

"Sir, we—,"

"I'm not quite finished yet, Maxine," he snapped. She flinched at the use of her full name, knowing he only used it when he was really pissed. "Since you both got yourselves into this mess, I'm going to make sure you ride it out together. I hope both of you enjoy your last night in your rooms here because, as of tomorrow, you will be living together in an apartment a few minutes away."

Max gaped at her stepfather, too taken aback by everything to argue, while Steve spoke up, "Sir, I understand the gravity of the situation but making us live together is crazy. We barely know each other!"

"You knew each other well enough to create another life. And, no, I don't think you understand the gravity of this." Fury turned to Max and continued, "I expect you to fill him in on the part his unaware of. Then, maybe, he'll understand. You're both dismissed."

Steve stormed out of the office without another word. She watched him go with sad eyes, half-hoping he would have walked out with her and tried to comprehend the news they had just received. Fury stood at the window again and Max couldn't think of a single thing to say to him.

She turned to leave when he muttered, "I expected better from you, Maxi."

Tears fell down her face as she exited the office and made her way to the elevator. She clicked the button and sniffled, whipping her cheeks. The elevator dinged and opened. Max lifted her head to see where she was going and her eyes landed on Captain America sitting on the floor of the elevator with his knees bent and his face hidden behind his large hands.

She didn't move. His hands slid off his face and he sighed, opening his eyes to see Max standing before him crying. He stretched his hand out to her and she took it immediately, crumpling next to him. She laid her head on his shoulder and continued to let the tears fall.

They rode the elevator up and down, neither one wanting to get off and move forward with things just yet.

It was around two in the morning when Steve broke the silence with a sigh, "We're going to be parents."

* * *

 **Yay! I hope you all liked it. Sorry for spelling errors and stuff. Thanks for reading! You guys are wonderful! Until next time. -KAITi**


	4. Chapter 4

**Hello! This chapter is kind of short and isn't really full of anything super important. There's one really big detail that's revealed but I mentioned it to you guys at the start of the last chapter. It's big for Steve though, and it'll play a big part in how he acts in the next chapter. Anyways! THANKS YOU ALL SO MUCH for following/favoriting this story. It means a lot. :)**

 **On we go...**

 **Disclaimer: Marvel is not mine.**

* * *

 **The Violinist**

 **Chapter 4:**

Max couldn't sleep after saying goodnight to Steve and going back to her room. She was physically exhausted but her mind was racing with everything that had happened. There was only way to calm herself down when she was like this. She dug her violin case out of the closet and called a cab to pick her up.

A quick ten minute drive across town ended when the car pulled up outside Shaker's Music Studio. Max located the correct key on her key ring and wandered around back to enter the building.

Since moving to D.C. when she was ten, Max had spent a good chunk of her free time at the studio just playing for fun. She knew the owner, Wayne, well enough that he had trusted her with a key so she could play whenever she wanted.

She set her case down outside the recording studio and flipped on the lights. The familiar view of ratty couches and worn-out rugs greeted her. She took a deep breath and sighed, feeling like she was home. It was completely quiet and she was about to change that. She fired up the sound system and headed into the sound room.

After locating the right music she felt like playing, Max opened her case and picked up her violin. She hadn't played since before the night Steve and she had slept together; her hands itched to pull the bow and finger the strings. Her violin was her most valued possession, the last thing her parents had given her together, and she kept it in impeccable shape.

She put on her headphones, pressed the play button on the remote and laid it on her music stand. Lindsey Stirling blasted through the speakers and she played along, bobbing her head and rocking her body with the music. The walls and floor vibrated with the force of the music coming from the surround sound speakers around the room.

The hours passed and Max continued to play with no more than a two minute break here and there. If she ceased playing for any more than the two minutes, thoughts of Steve and the fact that she was carrying his child would start to overwhelm her. She wasn't ready to face the fact that she was pregnant let alone the fact that it was Captain America's baby.

The sun eventually rose, welcoming the morning, and Max kept on playing with no signs of stopping anytime soon.

* * *

Steve had lain in bed awake, stock-still, the entire night after he had packed his things for moving later that day. It wasn't until the sun streamed through the windows that he came out of his trance and got up. He checked his schedule for today, seeing that Fury wanted to see him and Max in an hour, left his room without changing and headed to the cafeteria to try and eat something. When he failed to take a single bite of his eggs and toast, he made his way up to Fury's office in search of Max.

He arrived and walked in on Fury and an older gentleman in a heated discussion. Steve stood near the doorway with his arms crossed and an emotionless face. The director spotted him after a few seconds ticked by.

"Excuse me, Councilman Pierce. It seems the Captain would like a word," Fury observed.

The man left and Steve moved closer to Fury.

"What can I help with exactly, Rogers?"

Steve shrugged and pursed his lips. "I'm just looking for Max. My schedule for today said that we were to report here for our moving details at 8am."

"That's right. Unfortunately, Max isn't here," the one-eyed man revealed.

"What do you mean she isn't here?" Steve hissed.

"Exactly that, Captain. Cameras showed her leaving building around three this morning," Fury said. "Lucky for you, I know where she went."

* * *

Max's phone chimed in her pocket alerting her that it was time for the meeting with Fury. She ignored it and switched the music over to something softer. It still pounded out of the speakers but sounded more like sitting front row at an orchestra concert compared to the rock concert that was the electric violin songs.

The playlist she had chosen was full of songs she had played, and come to memorize, following her parents' deaths. Every time Max performed her way through it, she cried. Usually it took her a few songs before it hit her, but today it was almost instantly that she felt hot tears running down her cheeks.

She had nearly reached the halfway mark on the playlist when she stopped. Plucking a tissue out of the box on the desk nearby, she wiped her face and sighed.

"You play beautifully," a voice came from across the room.

She dropped the hand that had been drying her tears. "Steve? How—how did you find me?"

"Fury can be helpful when he wants to be," he said, the side of his mouth lifting in a half-smile.

She nodded and asked, "Why are you here?"

"I—uh…I came to make sure you were okay," he admitted bashfully. "Fury told me you were gone and I got worried."

"I'm fine."

He eyed her and she didn't blame him; she had barely believed the words herself. Max walked over to one of the couches and plopped down. Silence stretched out between them for a few minutes before Steve sighed and made his way to the couch, too.

"We've found ourselves in quite a pickle, haven't we?" he questioned with a slight chuckle.

She exhaled loudly. "Tell me about it."

"What was Fury talking about last night when he said he expected you to fill me in on the part I'm unaware of?"

Max gave him a nervous sideways glance and then began, "He's talking about a secret that only a few people know about. We don't tell everyone because someone could use it to hurt Fury or myself. You have to promise to keep this quiet, for my sake and the sake of our baby."

"Of course I promise," he agreed. "Is it really that bad?"

She stood from the couch and started pacing in front of him. "I've known Fury my entire life. He was on a strike team with my dad back in the day and had been my mother's best friend long before that. He's actually the reason my parents met." Max paused and took a deep breath, preparing herself for the next part. "My dad was killed during a mission right before my fifth birthday. After that my mom married Fury and life was slowly getting better. Then my mom got sick, cancer, and she passed when I was ten. Fury brought me here and raised me. He made me his assistant to keep me close and protected."

"So Fury is your…" he trailed off.

"Father. Well, stepfather technically. I call him dad when were in private," she gave a dry laugh in hopes of lightening the mood. "So you can see why it's a secret. If people knew Fury had a daughter, and that daughter was me, they could use it against him. And Fury doesn't want people to know he has a weakness. It's what gets you or someone you love killed."

He leaned forward, placing his elbows on his knees and covered his mouth with his clasped hands. She didn't know how she expected him to react to the news, but she hoped for the best. Although, he had just found out he knocked up the boss's daughter.

The minutes ticked by as Max waited for Steve to do or say something, anything. She was growing anxious as the time passed and she started to clean to keep herself from going crazy. When the room was spotless she fell back down on the couch and got comfortable, figuring they would be here a while longer.

Max was drained from the long, emotional night and was finally ready to sleep. She laid her head back on the top of the couch and closed her eyes. It didn't take long for her to give into her exhaustion and fall asleep.

* * *

"That explains why Fury was so peeved last night," Steve said and looked over at Max. He smiled as he took in the sight of her passed out next to him, her right hand subconsciously resting on her midsection. It was so strange to think that a baby, their baby, was growing in there. It was both exciting and utterly terrifying to think that he was going to be responsible for another human being's life, especially when his own life was far from safe.

He reached out carefully and laid his hand on her shoulder. She jumped in surprised and pulled away from his touch. "Sorry to wake you but I think we should head out."

"Oh, umm…yeah, I'll text Fury and let him know we're on our way," she told him. "Do you know where the apartment's at?"

"Yeah."

They closed up the building and walked out to the street. Parked out front was a brand new blue Ford F-150 sparkling in the morning sun.

"Fury didn't think it was a good idea for me to make you ride on the back of my motorcycle," he explained. Steve walked up to the passenger door and opened it for her, making sure she climbed in without a problem. Racing around to the other side, he hopped in and they took off towards their new place.

* * *

 **So that's Chapter 4. Like I said, nothing too important other that the "Fury's my father" stuff. I hope you guys are still liking the story. We're starting to get on the track that leads up to _The Winter Soldier_. Yay! And soon I'll start building the fluff for our lovely Captain and his baby mama. :) Thanks again for reading! See you all in the next chapter! -KAITi**


	5. Chapter 5

**Man has it been one crazy week! I transferred colleges and had so many things going on with family. I'm sorry for the wait but I'm happy I got it out now rather than later. School will be starting soon, which means updates won't be coming as often. I promise I'll try and get them up as quickly as I can. This chapter is mostly Max's POV, but there's some Steve's POV at the end. THANK YOU SO MUCH for all the follows/favorites/reviews. They bring me such happiness.**

 **On we go...**

 **Disclaimer: Marvel is not mine.**

* * *

 **The Violinist**

 **Chapter 5:**

They arrived at the apartment not ten minutes after leaving the music studio. It was located in the heart of the historic district of D.C., something Max was sure Fury had done to make Steve a little more comfortable. Compared to the rest of the city, it was quieter here. She had a feeling they would be happy out here, or as happy as two people who were practically strangers could be.

Fury stood on the sidewalk waiting patiently for them. He didn't say a word, simply turning and walking up the steps and into the building. Max followed behind, her head lowered to avoid looking her stepfather in the eye. Steve kept close to her but made sure not to touch her.

After climbing four flights of stairs and walking to the end of the hallway, they entered the apartment. Her first was that it was small, especially for two adults and a baby.

"There's a small balcony off the living room, the kitchen is to the left. Two bedrooms down the hall along with one and a half bathrooms," Fury told them, spinning in a slow circle showing where everything was at. "Should be enough space for you two, don't you think."

Despite Max's previous thoughts, she nodded to appease Fury. She could tell from the moment they pulled up outside that he was not in a good mood. Who could blame him, though? His daughter had a drunken one-night stand with Captain America and ended up pregnant as a result.

"Obviously once the kid arrives one of the bedrooms will have to be a nursery. Until then, though, Max can sleep in there. That leaves the master to you, Cap.," he said.

"So then she moves into my room when the baby's here I'm assuming?" Steve asked, a hint of snark lacing his words.

Fury shot him a glare so severe that even Natasha would have backed down from it. Max glanced between the two powerful men, waiting for Steve to surrender. He stood tall and stared back at Fury unapologetically.

The director turned towards her, the glare in his eyes only lessening slightly. "I'm sorry, I was under the impression you were going to tell him everything but, from the way he's acting, it appears that you haven't."

"Oh, she told me everything, alright," Steve answered for her.

"Well then let me tell you this: I am her father and, as her only parent left in this world, I will stop at nothing to protect her, even from someone as seemingly good-natured as yourself. You givin' me lip is only going to make things worse for you, Captain."

The two men stared intensely at each other, neither one showing any signs of breaking the connection.

In an attempt to ease the rising tension in the room, Max broke her silence, "So…umm… Our stuff is here, rights?"

Fury's focus shifted to her with Steve's following a second later. "Yes, I had Natasha pack your things after you left last night. She and a few other agents brought yours, as well as Captain Roger's, things here early this morning. It's all tucked away in your rooms."

She nodded and lowered her head again, tangling and untangling her hands as a nervous habit.

Checking his phone, the director said, "I have to leave. We're launching the Lemurian Star shortly and there are some last minute details I have to attend to." He turned towards Max. "If you need anything, let me know."

Fury left them standing in the middle of the living room. An awkward silence settled over them and Max didn't know what to do with herself. Steve glanced around appearing almost as lost as she was at the moment.

"Alright, well…I'm going to take a shower," he announced and turned to walk down the hallway before she could respond.

Max stayed there, her fingers twitching with a need to do something. Exhaustion weighed down on her but she didn't want to spend the entire day sleeping. She spun and headed into the kitchen deciding to make brunch for the two of them.

 _Three of us,_ she corrected herself, a shiver going down her spine. Max kept forgetting at times that she had a tiny human growing inside her. It would hit her and take her breath away at the strangest of times. Instead of letting herself completely freak out, she put threw all of her focus into making food. The craving for French toast overpowered her so she set to making that first. After she scrambled some eggs and placed everything on the dining table.

Just as she sat down to eat Steve walked out of the bathroom wearing only a towel. Steam rose off of his glistening skin and Max tried as hard as she could not to stare. It was a miracle he didn't notice her openly gaping at him while he dried his hair with another towel as he entered his room. She wished more than anything in that instance that she remembered their night together.

Max dug into her plate of food. Steve emerged fully clothed a few minutes later and followed the smell of food to the table.

"I made brunch if you're hungry," she told him, not looking up from her plate.

He smiled and said, "I see you made more than enough to feed an army."

"It's common knowledge that feeding you is like feeding an army."

A hearty bout of laughter erupted from him and he sat down across from her, immediately shoveling eggs and French toast onto his plate. They ate quietly for a few minutes when Max's phone suddenly chimed.

She glanced at the light-up screen and went white as a ghost. Steve noticed when he looked up and asked in a semi-panic, "What's wrong?"

"It's nothing really," she replied, shaking her head. "Ummm…Just a new addition to my schedule tomorrow. Apparently Fury took it upon himself to make an appointment for me to see S.H.I.L.D.'s obstetrician."

Her eyes found his and he had the same sickly pallor crossed his skin. He coughed and recomposed himself quickly. "I—uhhh didn't think it would be so soon."

"Me either."

"Do I have to—I mean, do you want me to go with you?"

She read something on her phone and then answered, "It says it's just blood work and filling out the papers. I don't see why you would have to go, but you can…if you want."

"I don't want to impose," he said, his polite nature coming through.

Max dropped her gaze. "Steve, it's your baby too. If you want to go to the appointment, you're more than welcome to join me."

Watching through her eyelashes, Max saw a small smile grace the Super Soldier's lips. Her heart melted a little at the sight. He was so beautiful when he smiled and she loved being the one to make him do so.

* * *

It was late and Max knew she should be sleeping. Her new bed was just making it impossible to fall in unconsciousness. She hated being in new places; it always gave her troubles getting some rest. She remembered her first night in D.C. when Fury brought her here after her mother had died. A few nights passed with no sleep until her body finally got used to its new location and succumb to it.

Hoping that watching some TV would make her more tired, Max ventured out to the living room. She stopped as she was about to round the corner into the room when she caught sight of Steve passed out on the couch. He was sitting upright with his head fallen back on the top of the cushion.

She carefully padded over to the recliner and sat down. Flipping through the channels, she chose to watch some _Gilligan's Island_ reruns. She turned the volume enough so she could just barely hear it and got comfortable.

 _Maybe rocking a little will help me fall asleep,_ she thought.

Using her toes to push off the floor and get a good rock going, she finally felt a little drowsier.

"Why are you up?"

Max nearly jumped out of her skin when she heard Steve speak. "Jesus!"

"Nope just me," he laughed. "Can't you sleep?"

She shook her head and explained, "I thought watching some TV would help me fall asleep. Why are you out here?"

"Bed's too comfy for my liking."

Max nodded. She had heard countless agents say they prefer sleeping on hard surfaces after being away on missions in remote places for so long. In fact, most of the rooms at the headquarters came with a fold-out cot stored under the regular bed.

Just when she was about to say something, an interesting commercial came on the television. It advertised the Smithsonian Museum's newest exhibit- Captain America: The First Avenger. She glanced over to see Steve's reaction. He wasn't paying it any attention and, instead, had his laid back against the cushion again.

"Did you know they were doing that?" she questioned.

"They contacted me a few months ago with the idea. I told them to do whatever they wanted to do and S.H.I.E.L.D. handled the rest," he answered without opening his eyes.

"It's your history. Don't you want to at least make sure they get everything right?"

"I'm not going to go to the exhibit so it doesn't matter to me what they do with it."

"Steve...," she started. "I'm sorry I woke you up," she apologized, changing the subject.

"Wasn't you really. The TV was a little loud."

She looked at him confused.

"Enhanced—," he began.

It clicked and she blurted out, "Oh, right! Enhanced hearing. Sorry." They smiled at each other. "Well, I guess I'll let you go back to sleep."

She stood and started walking away when he said, "You can sleep in my bed…if you think it might help."

Turning back she replied, "Thanks. I might do that if I can't fall asleep soon."

* * *

Steve heard her door shut and fell back against the couch. He had been so close to telling her she could share the couch with him. That would have gone over well.

He watched a few episodes of _Gilligan's Island_ before falling back asleep.

The sun lit up the living room in the morning. Steve looked around the room and frowned. Some noise had woken him up—a beeping of some sort.

He got up and wandered towards where it was originating from and found himself standing in Max's bedroom. Her phone beeped and buzzed on her nightstand but Max was nowhere to be found. Going back into the hallway, Steve checked the bathroom before cracking open his own bedroom door.

Inside, lying curled up on her side under a mountain of blankets, was Max. He leaned against the doorframe and watched her sleep for a few minutes. Glancing at his watch he saw it was only seven-thirty.

 _I'll let her sleep a little while longer before waking her up for the appointment,_ he told himself. His stomach did a flip-flop at the thought of her sleeping in his bed. He liked her, but the baby thing complicated everything. He didn't want to add to her load and a relationship, or even the simple confession of feelings, could weigh her down. For right now he thought it best to focus on the baby and get used to living with one another. Maybe the other stuff could fall into place later on.

* * *

 **That's chapter 5, folks! Hope everyone is liking it so far. I'm so close to starting TWS plot that I'm going to include in this story. Sorry for any spelling/grammar errors.**

 **If you guys haven't yet, you should totally check out my other Captain America fanfic _For Your Protection_. Thank you all so much for reading! Until next time! -KAITi**


	6. Chapter 6

**Hello! It feels so good to be updating. School and work have been kicking my behind. I've also had some medical issues that I've had to deal with, so sorry for the wait. I've been working on this chapter slowly and finally finished it today. Yay! As promised, this is the first doctor's appointment. Baby Rogers will be making a brief appearance. THANKS to everyone who's followed/favorited/reviewed. And thanks to you all for reading!**

 **On we go...**

 **Disclaimer: Marvel is not mine.**

* * *

 **The Violinist**

 **Chapter 6**

The smell of Old Spice and laundry detergent greeted Max as she slowly woke up in the morning. She ran a hand through her hair and rolled onto her back making sure to shield her eyes from the sunlight streaming into the room. The faintest smell of bacon frying in the other room made dragging herself out of bed a little less unbearable. Her body felt heavy with exhaustion still, but at least she succeeded in sleeping for a few hours. She couldn't believe sleeping in Steve's bed helped. It made her feel giddy and unnerved at the same time.

The sound of Steve whistling fell on her ears as she walked down the hallway towards the kitchen. Her stomach grumbled the closer she got to the smell of the food. Max figured it was just because she hadn't eaten since the dinner the day before.

He smiled at her as she entered and said, "Breakfast is almost ready. Did you sleep well?"

She nodded and kept her eyes on the floor. The overwhelming smell of bacon was making her more and more nauseous the longer she stood there. Usually breathing through her nose was what calmed her sickly feeling, but it wasn't doing the trick at the moment.

Steve turned with a plate full of food for her just as Max bolted to the bathroom. The sound of a plate clattering to the floor echoed throughout the apartment as she ran. It was a close call but she managed to make it to the toilet before emptying the contents of her stomach into it. She could sense Steve hovering by the door as she stayed hunched in case her stomach acted up again.

"Please don't stand there and stare," she pleaded. Max took a few deep breaths to try and feel more normal. "I feel disgusting. I would rather you not see me like this."

"Ok…Ugh…do you need anything?"

She rose slowly from where she was crouched by the toilet. Her eyes stayed glued to the floor as she spoke, "I think I'm just going to shower before the appointment. I'm fine now."

He gave a curt nod and closed the bathroom door. Left alone with her own thoughts and feeling completely embarrassed, Max quickly turned on the shower to cover the sound of her crying. The hot water beating against her skin forced her to relax. The nausea receded, which Max was grateful for.

She hated the fact that Steve had seen her so vulnerable and weak as she got sick. It made her think back to when her mom had been sick and how she would spend most of her day in the bathroom hugging the toilet. At first her mother had tried to hide just how bad her illness was, but eventually she had no other choice but to ask for help. Max never liked having to ask people for help. Strangers always assumed that, because she had been orphaned so young, that she needed a helping hand to make it through life. If anything, the death of her parents had made her stronger. She didn't need charity. Hell, she didn't even like when Fury offered to help out.

"Max! We should probably leave soon so we're not late!" Steve shouted through the door.

Instead of responding, she simply turned off the water to let him know she had heard. With a towel wrapped around her, Max sneaked to her room and got dressed. A few minutes later she emerged ready to go.

Steve sat on the couch flipping through the channels on the TV. Her eyes fell to the floor still embarrassed about what happened at breakfast.

"All set?" he asked.

Max nodded and headed to the door. They jumped into the truck and took off towards S.H.I.E.L.D.'s headquarters.

The inside of the Triskelion was alive with agents buzzing around like bees in a beehive. Max knew most of them—it was part of her job as Fury's PA. Some smiled or nodded when she walked by, some gave a friendly "hello", and the entire time she was freaking out.

 _Oh god, what if they all know?_ She wondered. _I'll be pegged as the bimbo that wormed her way into the Super Soldier's bed…and then trapped him with a baby. I'll lose all the respect I've built up with everyone. I could lose my job. Fury wouldn't want this causing unwanted trouble…_

The ding of the elevator arriving interrupted her train of thought. She followed Steve inside. Neither of them said a word.

The receptionist greeted them when they stepped out of the elevator. "Dr. Schaffer is expecting you."

She guided them to an exam room and told them the doctor would be along soon. Steve instantly looked uncomfortable as he stood in the corner of the room. If Max had known him a little better she would have laughed at him.

Dr. Schaffer wandered in a minute or so later and immediately demanded a urine sample. Not even a greeting, just straight to business. When she returned after giving her sample, Max found Steve standing in the same corner.

"Ms. Stirling, if you would please take a seat on the table we can begin." She did as she was asked and climbed up on the table, the paper crinkling under her. "Alright, S.H.E.I.L.D. has your medical history on file so we can skip all those questions, especially since you were in here for a physical two days ago."

The doctor glanced down at her tablet with all of Max's information on it. Max shifted nervously and peeked over at Steve. He stood with his arms folded across his chest and his skin looked a little paler than normal. His eyes caught hers and he gave her a heart-melting, lopsided smile.

"According to when you had your last menstrual cycle you're a few days short of being seven weeks. You're due date will be around the end of August or beginning of September. That means we can do an ultrasound and listen to the baby's heartbeat since you're a little farther along than anticipated. I'm going to need a blood sample, too, before—."

"Wait…you said seven weeks? But we slept together right before he left. That was only five weeks ago," Max said, confused.

"The due date isn't based on the day on conception. It goes off of a woman's last cycle. Pregnancy is actually nine and a half months but doctors calculate it as ten months because they add on those two weeks before conception," Dr. Schaffer explained. "And of course the ten months comes from the lunar cycle, which is what a woman's body follows during her menstrual cycles."

She got up and left the room leaving Max and Steve alone to process the newly discovered information. It wasn't too long, though, before the doctor returned with a ultrasound machine in tow.

"It's probably too soon to see anything with the abdominal ultrasound so I'll have to use the vaginal wand. You'll need to undress from the waist down," she informed Max and pulled out a paper cover to lay over herself after she undressed. Dr. Schaffer looked over at Steve. "You're welcome to stay in here or wait outside with me."

Max watched, trying to hold in her laughter, as Steve rushed out of the room ahead of the doctor. She stripped out of her jeans and underwear quickly before sitting back on the table and placing the cover over her naked lower half.

 _Steve could catch a glimpse of my…Oh lord, I'm not up for this,_ she thought as she laid back and got comfortable. _He's already seen you naked, though. You just don't remember it, stupid. Is that supposed to make me feel better? It doesn't._

A knock on the door let her know they were coming back in. The doctor pulled a stool in front of Max's legs while Steve went back to hovering in the corner.

"Your file says you've had a vaginal ultrasound before, correct?"

Max nodded. "I got one two years ago to check for ovarian cancer. My mom died from it and I wanted to make sure I was clean."

"Then you have no need to be nervous." She turned and grabbed the wand. "The gel I'm using is sterile so it has to be kept cold. Scoot your butt to the edge of the table and place your feet in the stirrups."

Max got into position for the procedure to start. She didn't look at Steve, almost wanting to forget the fact that the sexy superhero was only a few feet away. Words could not describe how awkward everything was about to get.

Dr. Schaffer threw back the paper cover so she could have a clear view and Max turned her head to the side, closing her eyes, not wanting to watch. She stared at Steve's shoes and waited for the wand to be inserted.

"Alright, here we go. Let me know if you feel any discomfort."

She didn't even have the chance to gasp at the coldness before she felt the wand push inside her. Her eyes flew open in surprise and she looked up at Steve. His skin was white as a sheet and his eyes, which were glued to where Dr. Schaffer was working, were practically bugging out of their sockets. He must have felt her watching him because his blue eyes found hers, a weak smile gracing his lips.

"Okay," the doctor spoke up. The monitor was spun around so they could have a better view of it. "This little bubble here is your baby. Looks like it's the right size for being seven weeks along. Would you like to try and hear the heartbeat?"

Steve remained silent so Max stepped up and told her they would. There was some jostling around and pushing of buttons before the room was filled with the most beautiful sounding rhythm. It was amazing how a tiny little bubble that was the product of a drunken one-night stand could evoke such heart-wrenching emotions. Tears openly flowed down Max's cheeks and she couldn't help but smile. Everything had just become even more real about their situation. They were really, truly having a baby.

"Heartbeat's strong. Everything seems to be in order," Dr. Schaffer announced and started cleaning up.

Steve and the doctor left the room so Max could get dressed. She emerged from the room and was guided to a different room where her blood was taken. Just as they were about to leave, they were stopped by Dr. Schaffer.

"I was ordered to send all of my results to Director Fury. He also told me that he would like to meet with you before you head home. Oh! And here are your sonogram pictures."

"I'm glad to see that everything is good with the baby," Fury said as they entered his office.

"Why did you want to see us?" Max asked sounding slightly annoyed.

"I wanted to discuss a few things with you two," he answered. His eyes narrowed as he scanned her from head to toe. "Why are you so cranky?"

She moved closer to Fury and took a seat in one of the chairs in front of his desk. "I didn't sleep very well last night. And I had kind of a rough morning. I'd like to go home and take a nap."

Her stepfather turned his focus to Steve. "I trust that you're taking care of her, Captain Rogers?"

"Yes, sir. Being in a new environment, living with someone you barely know, and not getting enough sleep is probably the reason for her crankiness," he retorted, a snarky edge to his words making Fury glare at him.

"As I've said before, _I_ am not the one who put you in that situation. _You two_ are the ones responsible for your new living arrangement."

"Can we _please_ just get to whatever you called us here for," Max begged.

"Right. Well, I've made a few decisions based on our new predicament," he began. "Cap, as of today you will only be assigned missions that can be handled within a day or two. Only in cases of emergency will you be called in for anything longer than that. I want you around as much as possible; an absent father is no father at all. Maxi, I found someone that can shadow you when you're here and help with your workload. The farther along in the pregnancy, the more your duties will fall to your shadow. By your eighth month I don't want you working at all."

"What?! So I'm just supposed to slowly transform into a stay-at-home mom? I'll go insane!" Max screeched.

"Better at home and safe than here and in possible danger," Fury defended.

"Yeah, we'll see about that," she whispered under her breath.

"Is that all?" Steve asked.

Fury nodded. "For now. Go home and rest. I want both of you ready to go tomorrow."

Before they left Max pulled out the sonogram pictures she had folded in her pocket. She tore off the bottom one and laid it on Fury's desk. "This one's for you, grandpa."

The look he shot her would have made any person freeze and rethink their actions, but not her. She smiled and spun around to leave. Steve followed closely behind chuckling softly as he went.

* * *

 **So that, lovelies, is chapter 6. I hope you all enjoyed. I'm sorry for any spelling/grammar mistakes. I would go through and check but I have a mountain of homework that I need to tackle. Let me know what you think! Until next time -KAITi**


	7. Chapter 7

**Oh snap, is this a new chapter. I apologize for not updating in...(dang) awhile. Between having surgery, school, and working, I haven't had the time or motivation to write. I made this chapter longer so maybe that'll make up for being gone for so long? Steve is getting ready to start facing down Hydra and he's about to meet Sam Wilson. I already have plans for the next chapter so, hopefully, it won't be long before I get the next chapter done. I hope you guys enjoy. Thank you SO MUCH for reading!**

 **Disclaimer: I own nothing Marvel.**

 **One we go...**

* * *

 **The Violinist**

 **Chapter 7**

Max had slept much better that night, taking to Steve's room after he offered it once again. She felt bad that he was sleeping on the couch since she was in his bed—she had told him it was fine if he wanted to sleep in there, too. It wasn't like they hadn't shared a bed before.

The next morning was severely cold and her morning sickness was hitting her harder than the day before. After one last round of horrible vomiting, Max bundled up in as many clothes as she could put on and still manage to walk. Steve had planted himself on the couch following her snapping at him to leave her alone, and jumped when she entered the living area so they could leave for headquarters; his eyes glued to the floor like a kicked puppy.

"Let's get this day over with," she sighed. Their eyes met for a second before he dropped them back to the floor, a wave of guilt flooding Max. "I'm sorry for yelling at you to go away. I just don't want you seeing that stuff."

They began walking down to the truck. "You don't have to hide from me. We're in this together so you might as well get used to having me around. Besides, I've seen a lot worse things than a dame puking," he explained.

"Maybe if I knew you a little better, I would be more comfortable with all of this. Yes, we live together and I'm having your kid, but we're still strangers," Max told him.

The look on Steve's face when she brought up having his kid was priceless. It was the funniest expression combining the pride of a father with an awkward, high school virgin.

Steve and her parted ways when they entered the Triskelion after he mumbled something about heading to the gym. She was still feeling bad about how she treated him this morning but didn't have time to dwell on it by the time she reached Fury's office.

The director was in a particularly foul mood that morning as well. Max didn't know if it was more because of her situation with Steve or if something had happened with the big mission. She certainly wasn't going to ask what managed to get his knickers in a twist, though.

"I don't care what the council said. We need to keep agents stationed in South America in case someone makes a move on one of our ships. Something is going to go down," he paused and listened to the person on the other end of the phone call. "Well if you had been listening earlier, you would have heard me say that Captain Rogers isn't available."

Max took a seat in one of the chairs in front her stepfather's desk and pulled out her tablet, getting a jump on the day's work. Almost everything Fury and his agents were doing these days had some kind of connection to the ships down in South America— their main ship, though, was making its way towards the Indian Ocean. It was nice when she came across a task on her schedule that had to do with something other than S.H.I.E.L.D.'s top mission. Today's schedule gave her a nice break from shuffling agents around and dealing with a grumpy Fury to visit the Captain America exhibit for a final inspection. It opened in a week and, since Steve wanted nothing to do with it, Max was determined to make sure everything was perfect.

"Let Captain Rogers know he should plan on leaving out in a few days," Fury switched his attention to her after ending his call. "It seems I can't keep him out of this one. Romanoff will be accompanying him."

"Is this about the ships? Where will they be going?"

He sighed. "It is about _a_ ship. As to the location, I'm not going to tell you. You already know so much and you recall my fondness of compartmentalization."

Max nodded and typed a quick reminder to tell Steve later today that he should be prepared for a new mission. "What should I tell him if he asks about the specifics of the mission?"

"Just tell him to…be ready to chase a shooting star," Fury said.

"Got it," she confirmed and grabbed her things. "I'm going to the Smithsonian to see the exhibit and go over things with Jasey before it opens next week. I'll see you later."

* * *

After a stressful day of dealing with Max's hormones in the morning, and then finding out he would soon be heading out on an important mission, Steve wasn't surprised to find himself unable to sleep. He flicked through the infinite channels on the television late into the night before shutting it off and changing into sweatpants and a thin Under Armor shirt.

The cool night air felt good on his skin as he wandered the streets of D.C. The night air, the dull glow of the streetlights above him with their gentle humming of electricity, and the towering buildings stretching towards the sky took him back to the old days of wandering around New York City. Early morning traffic, with the occasional car horn, called out in the distance and brought Steve back to reality when his thoughts threatened to carry him away.

He wasn't nervous about going on the mission—at least, not any more nervous than he normal got when he was putting his life in danger. But now he didn't have just himself to think about. He had to think about the baby, his baby, and how he needed to try with every ounce of his being to stay alive to raise them. It was hard growing up without a father, and he thanked god every day for the years he had had with his mother, but it tore him to piece when he thought of how destroyed his mother had been when she talked about his father. How many tears she had shed when she told Steve about the day she, nearly eight months pregnant, answered the door to be delivered the worst news of her life: Joseph Rogers was never coming home. His father's sacrifice during the first World War was what had driven Steve to join the army, and it was that choice that had made him the man he was today—mentally and physically.

Of course he had to think about Max, too. He would do anything to save her from the life of being a single mother, not that he didn't think she would do a bang-up job, but it would be a stressful, exhausting job. He had seen evidence of that with his mother raising him by herself. She tried to work and give Steve the best childhood he could. As he got older he tried to take some of her stress away by helping around the house and staying out of trouble.

After she died, all he had let was Bucky. And then he lost him, too.

He shook his head and pushed away the sorrowful thoughts of the past. The mission would be simple, not dangerous. Plus he would have Natasha there to make the plan run even more smoothly. As long as everyone stuck to the plan things would be alright.

Faint rays of lights rising above the buildings caught his eye. Morning had come and he would be leaving soon. He still had some time, though.

The Washington Monument towered before him and he chuckled. His wandering had led him to his usual running place. Deciding a quick couple of laps would do him some good, he bounced on his toes a couple of times, loosening his muscles, and took of sprinting. For the first time all night, his head was clear of thoughts. It was just the pounding of his feet against the pavement and the beating of his heart as he ran through the empty park.

By his third time around the light was growing brighter in the sky and he spotted a man running not far in front of him. His strong, lean build, along with his tight running form gave Steve the impression that he was military. He pushed himself a little harder and closed the gap between them.

As he neared the other man, he turned his head and looked at him. The Air Force insignia over his heart on his sweatshirt told Steve he had guessed right; he was a military man. "On your left," he breathed and passed him. A soft laugh from the guy followed.

It was a few more rounds through the park, and a few more 'on your left' comments, before Steve slowed to a stop in front of a large tree where his new running buddy had collapsed.

"Need a medic?" Steve joked as he approached the young man as he sat against the tree. His dark skin was glistening with sweat and he was breathing heavily.

He laughed. "I need a new set of lungs. Dude, you just ran like thirteen miles in thirty minutes."

"Guess I got a late start."

"Really? You should be ashamed of yourself. You should take another lap," he said sarcastically and glanced away. He squinted back up at Steve a second later. "Did you just take it? I assume you just took it."

"What unit you with?" Steve asked.

"58th Para-rescue but now I'm working down at the V.A.," he replied and held his hand out for Steve to help him up. "Sam Wilson."

"Steve Rogers."

Sam winced as he stood, still tired from all the running, and said, "I kinda put that together. Must have freaked you out coming home after the whole defrosting thing."

Steve sighed. "Takes some getting used to," he admitted and turned to walk away. Max would be wondering where he is and he still needed to pack before heading out later today. "It was good to meet you, Sam."

He had only made it a few steps when the other man called out, "It's your bed, right?"

"What's that?" he questioned as he turned back around.

"Your bed. It's too soft. When I was over there, I'd sleep on the ground and use rocks as pillows like a caveman. Now that I'm home it's like—."

"Lying on a marshmallow. Feel like I'm gonna sink right to the floor," Steve finished. Sam nodded in agreement. "How long?"

"Two tours. You must miss the good ole days, huh?" Sam said lightheartedly and crossed his arms over his chest.

Steve looked away, thinking of his life now compared to his life then. Thinking of Max and the baby. Thinking of losing his mother, losing Bucky, losing friends and comrades to the war. Thinking of Peggy. "Well, things aren't so bad. Food's a lot better; we used to boil everything. No Polio's good. Internet, so helpful. Been reading that a lot trying to catch up."

Sam smiled and said, "Marvin Gaye, 1972 _Trouble Man_ soundtrack." Steve nodded and pulled out his notepad from his sweatpants, writing down the suggestion Sam made to the long list of things people recommended to him. "Everything you've missed jammed into one album."

"I'll put in on the list," he said right as his phone beeped.

 **Mission Alert.**

 **Extraction imminent.**

 **Meet at the curb.**

"Alright, Sam, duty calls. Thanks for the run, if that's what you wanna call running," he joked as he shook the man's hand.

"Oh, so that's how it is?" Sam asked.

"Ooooh, that's how it is," Steve confirmed.

Laughing, Sam said, "Oh, okay." The Super Soldier started to walk away again, moving towards the curb, but still facing his new friend. "Anytime you wanna stop by the V.A., make me look good in front of the girl at the front desk, you just let me know."

He nodded and told Sam, "I'll keep it in mind."

The roar of an engine rumbled behind Steve and he turned to see a shiny new black Corvette slid up to the curb. The window rolled down to reveal Natasha grinning in the driver's seat. "Hey fellas, either one of you know where the Smithsonian is? I'm here to pick up a fossil."

"That's hilarious," Steve said as he got into the car.

Sam was smiling at Natasha from his spot on the sidewalk. "How you doin'?" he said, flirting.

"Hey," she drawled back, a sly smile crossing her face.

"Can't run everywhere," Steve jested. He heard Sam agree as he rolled up the window right before Nat peeled away from the curb and into traffic.

"I didn't know you had a friend in the Air Force," Nat said.

"Just met him this morning," he replied, looking out the window at the city rolling by. "I need to go home before we leave. Max didn't know I left and I don't want to leave without saying bye."

Nat nodded. "I'm sure she got a mission alert from Fury letting her know you'd be gone."

"Still, I want to see her. Call me old-fashioned," he laughed.

* * *

Max woke to a silent apartment. There was no noise from the television, no shower running, and no shuffling of pots and pans in the kitchen. Worry set heavy in her gut as her thoughts immediately went to Steve and the mission.

 _Is he gone already? Did he leave without telling me?_ she wondered.

She rolled to the edge of the bed and reached for her phone on the bedside table. A small red light flashed at the top of the screen and her heart sank. Red meant a mission alert. Quickly, she opened it and scanned the message.

 **Mission Alert.**

 **Captain Steven Rogers deployed.**

 **Triskelion 08:00 hours.**

Glancing at the time, she breathed a sigh of relief. It was just after seven so there was still a chance he hadn't left for headquarters yet.

Before climbing out of the warm bed, Max stretched and gave a good yawn. Knowing that Steve was somewhere on a big mission would keep her from getting much rest until he returned home. She knew how dangerous missions were, even the ones that seem like easy in-and-out jobs. Her mind started to drift to her father, but she pushed the memories away. Steve would be fine. Steve would come home. Steve was Captain America, not some regular agent like her dad had been.

She hopped off the bed and stood there staring at the wall for a moment to see if her stomach would turn against her. Deciding it was fine, she grabbed her hoodie of the bottom of the bed and headed to find some food to feed her, and her constantly hungry baby.

A craving for Steve's pancakes overwhelmed her but she grabbed a box of cereal instead after seeing no sign of him in the apartment. It would be hard going without his cooking while he was gone. It'd been less than a week of living together and she was already becoming accustomed to having him around.

She set on the couch with her bowl and flicked on the TV. Finding a rerun of _Doctor Who_ , Max tucked her legs up under her and dug into her cereal. She hadn't even gotten two bites in when the sound of the locks coming undone pulled her attention from the television.

Relief flowed through her and butterflies fumbled in her stomach at the sight of Steve entering their apartment. "Oh, you're awake," he said when he caught sight of her.

"Hard to sleep after getting a mission alert," she admitted. She stared at her cereal so he wouldn't see how worried she was about him.

Steve sat down in the chair at the other end of the couch and sighed. "I'm sorry," he said and looked at her. "You don't have to worry—."

"But I am and I will. Even the easiest missions can get people killed," she told him, tears making her voice sound thick. "Ugh, and now I'm going to cry. This freaking kid is driving me nuts!"

A soft chuckle made her head snap up to glare at Steve. "Are you serious laughing at me right now?"

"Sorry," he apologized, a slight humor still laced through his voice. He moved to sit next to Max on the couch and her expression softened with his closeness. He took her chin between his thumb and index finger, forcing her to look him in his bright blue eyes. Her breath hitched as his other thumb swiped the tears from her cheeks. "I'm not used to having someone worry about me. My parents were gone before I joined the army, Bucky was too busy trying to save his own skin to worry about me, and now all S.H.I.E.L.D is concerned about is protecting their secrets. This whole situation with us…I'm still trying to wrap my head around it. I guess I just didn't realize you cared so much."

She pulled back and playfully slapped him on the arm. His muscles didn't even budge and her fingers stung from the contact. Carefully, she cradled her stinging fingers in her other hand and peered over at Steve watching her with a shocked expression on his face. "Of course I care, you idiot! And I'm going to worry about you all I want because you knocked me up and you can't leave me to do this whole parenting thing on my own!"

"I like it when you get all out of sorts," he smiled. His hand twined around the hand she slapped him with and pulled it into his lap. It was the most intimate gesture that had happened between just the two of them since their first night together. "It's hard for me when I think about going on this mission. I have a responsibility to save the world because of who I am, but I also have a responsibility to you now. This baby is changing everything."

"That's what they do best. I think we're handling it well, all things considered."

"I'm going to be fine. I'll be back so quick, you won't even know I've been gone," he said, happily.

"Just make sure you _do_ come home," she told him as she laid back against him. Max didn't move from her spot tucked beside him until it was time for him to go. She held her tears in until the door shut behind him. Part of her wondered if her strong emotional reaction to him leaving was the pregnancy hormones, or if it was because she was becoming attached to the Super Soldier.

Max wiped her face dry as she walked down the hall to Steve's bedroom. She pulled open the closet doors and grabbed his favorite sweatshirt. His scent drifted to her nose and she sighed as she replaced her hoodie with his. It was going to be a long, lonely day without him.

* * *

 **Hooray for new content! Really hope you all are still liking the story. Let me know what you think. THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO HAS FOLLOWED/FAVORITED! And thanks again for reading!**

 **Sorry for any spelling/grammar errors. Oops.**

 **Until next time -KAITi**


	8. Chapter 8

**Hello, my beautiful readers! I'm dropping off chapter 8 and I'm super excited about it. We've finally started getting into TWS plot :D I won't bother you with boring old author's notes any longer so you can read.**

 **Disclaimer: I don't own Marvel.**

 **On we go...**

* * *

 **The Violinist**

 **Chapter 8**

Steve barreled towards Georges Batroc, leader of the pirate group that hijacked the Lemurian Star, and didn't stop until he drove the man through a door. They landed on the floor, both grunting from the impact. Batroc was still conscious despite the beat down the Super Soldier was giving him, but that was about to change. Steve drew back and swiftly punched the man square in the face rendering him unconscious.

"Well this is awkward," he heard Natasha's voice and looked over to see her bending over one of the many computers in the room.

"What're you doing?" Steve asked as he stood, his breathing still slightly labored from the fight.

She glanced over at him as he approached. "Backing up the hard drive. It's a good habit to get into."

"Rumlow needed your help," he told her as he gazed back at Batroc to make sure he was still out cold. "What the hell are you doing here?" She didn't answer, but kept working away. He looked over the dozens of screens all showing the same thing. "You're saving S.H.I.E.L.D. intel."

"Whatever I can get my hands on."

"Our mission is to rescue hostages," Steve reminded her, a hint of confusion in his words.

"No, that's your mission," she corrected and pulled the memory stick out of the port. The redheaded assassin straightened up and looked up at Steve coolly. "And you've done it beautifully."

Steve grabbed her by the arm when she tried to walk past him towards the door. "You've just jeopardized this whole operation."

"I think that's overstating things."

They were too busy berating each other that neither noticed Batroc spring up from floor until the sound of a pin being pulled from a grenade caught Steve's attention. He smacked it to the side with his shield before wrapping one arm around Natasha's waist and hurtling through the window of the rooms attached office.

The explosion tore through the room, fire and debris all around them, but they were safe from the blast. Natasha winced in pain; Steve checked the destroyed computer lab while huffing out heavy breaths.

"Okay," Nat said. "That one's on me."

Steve was furious with his fellow agent and the fact that she had almost cost them their lives for some silly bits of information. He had promised Max he would come home, alive and well, but that had come close to not happening. It was chilling to think that he had almost left his unborn child without a father. Steve knew Nat was completely to blame, though. This had Fury written all over it. A few deep breaths with his eyes closed calmed him down just enough to speak up.

"You're damn right." He pushed himself off the floor and left without another word.

* * *

"You just can't stop yourself from lying, can you?" Steve asked as he strolled into the director's office. He had just gotten back from the mission a few short hours ago. His leg had bounced in anticipation of talking to Fury all through the mission debriefing.

The one-eyed man sat at his desk, his back to Steve, and his composure appeared more stressed than usual. Steve searched around the room, disappointed at the fact that Max wasn't here. She was probably off doing an errand for her stepfather.

"I didn't lie. Agent Romanoff had a different mission than yours," Fury told him without turning to face him.

"Which you didn't feel obliged to share," Steve snapped. He was now standing directly in front of Director Fury's desk. The man still hadn't spun to face Steve. The more he looked at the director, the more it looked like he was worrying about something.

"I'm not obliged to do anything."

"Those hostages could have died," Steve exhaled.

Finally, Fury faced him. "I sent the greatest soldier in history to make sure that didn't happen."

"Soldiers trust each other. That's what makes it an army, not a bunch of guys running around shooting guns."

"Last time I trusted someone, I lost an eye," the black man said as he stood, making his eyes level with the Captain's. "Look, I didn't want you doing anything you weren't comfortable with. Agent Romanoff is comfortable with everything."

"I can't lead a mission when the people I'm leading have missions of their own," Steve justified.

"It's called compartmentalization. Nobody spills all the secrets because nobody knows them all," Fury explained sternly,

"Except you," Steve said, pointing his finger at Fury.

The director shut his eye and sighed. "You're wrong about me. I do share. I'm nice like that."

Steve couldn't help but feel like that was a jab towards his situation with Max. "Where is she?"

"I'll tell you that after I show you something."

Fury followed Steve to the elevator wondering why the man was being so closed-lipped about his stepdaughter. Had something happened while he was gone on the mission?

"Insight Bay," Fury notified the automated elevator system.

"Captain Rogers does not have clearance for Project Insight," the computerized woman's voiced stated.

"Director override. Fury, Nicholas J."

The elevator started moving after the word 'confirmed' was said.

* * *

Steve was amazed when he turned to see an underground hanger of enormous aircrafts outside the elevator window.

"Yeah, I know. They're a little bit bigger than a twenty-two," Fury joked after catching sight of Steve's expression. " _This_ is Project Insight. Three next-generation helicarriers synced to a network of targeting satellites."

"Launched Lemurian Stars."

"Once we get the in the air they never need to come down. Continuous suborbital flight curtesy of our new repulser engines," Fury enlightened.

"Stark?"

"Well he had a few suggestions once he had an up-close look at our old turbines."

They walked to a lift that carried them around the area, under the massive crafts, but above all of the working mechanics. Quinn jets were being hoisted on to all of the aircrafts; it reminded Steve of his time on the helicarrier before the battle in New York.

"These new long-ranged precision guns can eliminate a thousand hostiles a minute. The satellites can read a terrorist's DNA before he even steps outside his spider hole. Gonna neutralize a lot of major threats before they even happen," Fury said, watching Steve.

"Thought the punishment usually came after the crime?" he questioned, meeting the director's eye.

"We can't afford to wait that long," Fury shook his head.

"Who's 'we'?"

There was a small pause before Fury began to elaborate. "After New York I convinced the World Security Council we needed a quantum surge in threat analysis. For once, we're way ahead of the curve."

"By holding a gun to everyone's head and calling it protection," Steve sighed, looking away.

"You know, I read those SSR files. Greatest generation? You guys did some nasty stuff."

Steve locked eyes with his superior. "Yeah, we compromised, sometimes in ways that made us not sleep so well, but we did it so that people could be free." He gestured towards the nearest aircraft. "This isn't freedom. This is fear."

"S.H.I.E.L.D. takes the world as it is, not as we'd like it to be," Fury retorted and stepped towards him. "It's getting damn near passed that time you get with the program, Cap."

"Don't hold your breath," Steve advised. He turned and walked to the edge of the moving platform. "Now, you've shown me what you wanted to. Where's Max?"

Fury scoffed and dropped his eye to the ground. The same look of worry he had had earlier was back. Steve's chest tightened and prayed it was nothing.

"She spent all day yesterday after you left at the Smithsonian working on your exhibit. She wanted everything to be perfect before the grand opening today," he smiled, but it didn't reach his sad eyes. "I got a call about four or so from Dr. Schaffer saying Max had been brought in. She fainted while talking with the woman in charge of the exhibit."

"Wha—is she…Why did she…What happened?" Steve asked hastily. His heart was racing. His brain telling him he needed to see her, touch her, make sure she and the baby were alright.

"She's at the apartment on bed rest for the next couple of days. Dr. Schaffer seems to think that the baby has inherited some of your Super Soldier DNA and that Max's body is having trouble accommodating a partially-superhuman fetus."

Steve couldn't breathe.

"She has assured me, though, that with an increase of food and plenty of rest, Max and the baby will be just fine," Fury finished.

"I have to go," Steve muttered and rushed off to the elevator. He hurriedly changed out of his Captain America uniform and bolted to the garage, hopping on his motorcycle and speeding towards home.

* * *

Max should have known when she found out she was pregnant with Captain America's baby that it wouldn't be a normal nine months. Or even a normal baby—not that that fact would change how she felt about her child.

Bed rest wasn't so bad. It allowed her to catch up on sleep, and even a few of the shows she had fallen behind on. It was lonely, though. She had thought Steve being gone would be fine since she could get some work done, keep her mind off coming home to an empty apartment. That had gone south when she woke up in Dr. Schaffer's office yesterday after passing out at the Smithsonian. She could only imagine how Steve would react when—.

"Max!" she heard his voice yell from the living room. Jumping from the bed, Max rushed into the hall to see Steve standing there looking panicked. His eyes found her and he took a step forward. She beat him to the punch by running and launching herself into his arms.

"Max, you're supposed to be on bed rest!" he exclaimed, hugging her tightly to him.

"Screw bed rest. I missed you," she whispered into the crook of his neck. He chuckled and swung her legs up so that he was carrying her bridal style.

"I missed you, too," he said as he walked back towards his bedroom. "I think you should do as the doctor says, though."

Steve deposited her on the bed and went around to the other side, climbing in beside her. "You talked to Fury then?"

He nodded, grabbing her hand. His eyes focused on that because he couldn't look at her just yet. "What happened?"

"I wanted to get some work done on the exhibit, keep myself busy while you were gone, and I guess I pushed myself too far. I was helping Jasey, the girl in charge, get things in order with the Howling Commando costumes. It was taking a long time and I didn't eat. My body didn't like that," she explained, picking at one of the loose threads on the comforter.

"Max," he sighed.

"I mean, how was I supposed to know the baby had your superhuman DNA? All I knew was that I was sleeping a lot more than normal and snacking more. Plus, you cook enough to feed an army so I didn't think too much about I was eating. I don't know," she shook her head. "I'm just glad you're home."

"I'm sorry," he breathed.

"For what?" Max asked, her voice low. He still wouldn't look at her. "Steve, look at me. Tell me what's wrong."

He let out a shaky breath, kept his eyes down and squeezed her hand. "I can't stand that I'm the reason this happened to you. It's my DNA that's causing the problem, not yours."

"Look at me," she ordered. He gave in and raised his troubled blue eyes to hers. "We didn't know this any of this was going to happen when we slept together; the baby, living together, and now this DNA situation. I think we've been handling it all quite well. Besides, I only passed out yesterday because I didn't eat enough. As long as you keep me fed, it shouldn't happen again."

The corner of his mouth lifted in an attempt to smile. She could tell he was still blaming himself. It was understandable; she would feel the same if she was in his shoes.

There was a knock at the door and Steve raised an eyebrow, confused. "I ordered pizza before I knew you were going to be here."

He left and went to retrieve the food. A minute or so later he came back carrying two pizzas and a couple of water bottles. They settled on the bed and dug into their food.

"So how'd the mission go?" Max inquired.

"It was…rockier than expected," he replied.

"I think the word you're looking for is explosive," she smirked.

He grinned, "I guess you heard about that, huh?"

"Nat is my best friend, of course I heard," Max revealed. "And she feels awful about it. Just in case you cared."

"I planned on talking to her tomorrow. I was more upset with Fury than her anyways."

"That works out nicely. She's coming over tomorrow for lunch. I plan on telling her I'm pregnant. Fury said it was a good idea to let her in the loop. He's worried something is about to go down. Something big," Max informed him.

"I think he's right. And we're going to need to be prepared," Steve agreed.

They finished in silence. Max was beyond happy to have him home. Even though he'd been gone one day, it had been a scary twenty-four hours. It had been so terrifying to go through everything yesterday without him there to keep her calm. Nothing made her happier than waking up this morning to a text saying Steve and the other agents had returned.

She peered over at him eating his pizza and watching an old rerun of _Law & Order_. If her stepfather was right about something big happening with S.H.I.E.L.D., nights like this would become a thing of the past—a good memory to look back on as they ran from their enemy. So she took in everything about him and how she felt in that moment eating pizza with him, committing it to memory.

He started to scoot off the bed sometime later after the food was all gone and the lights had been turned out. Max had been nodding in and out, but woke when she felt the shift in the bed.

"Stay," she called out to him. "Just tonight so I can have some company. It was lonely around here without you last night."

"Okay," he obliged and laid back down. They were on their sides facing each other, just staring. It seemed that both wanted to be in each other's company after the events of the previous day. Steve smiled at her and whispered, "You're wearing my sweatshirt."

"Yeah," she admitted. "I told you, I missed you."

* * *

 **AWW they missed each other! How sweet :) The next chapter will be Steve visiting the Captain America exhibit and maybe some Peggy...I haven't decided. I hope you enjoyed and will continue to enjoy it. THANKS to everyone who has followed/favorited. And thanks to all of you for reading. PLEASE REVIEW! I love hearing from you guys!**

 **Sorry for any spelling/ grammar errors.**

 **Until the next time -KAITi**


	9. Chapter 9

**Oh my gosh, I am so unbelievably sorry for the wait! I had totally planned on updating ages ago but my uncle took a turn for the worst with his battle with cancer and unfortunately lost his fight. It's been hard to try and find the motivation to write until recently. Thank all of you that asked for me to update and told me how much you love this story. It really pushed me to crank a new chapter out. Anyways, I hope you enjoy it.**

 **Disclaimer: Marvel is not mine.**

 **On we go...**

* * *

 **The Violinist**

 **Chapter 9**

Steve woke the next morning to the feel of Max tucked against him, the smell of honeysuckle tickling his nose. His arm was slung over her waist; his hand pressed gently against her tiny baby bump. He flexed the fingers of his other hand and felt the sharp tingles shoot up his arm. Max's head rested on his bicep and he guessed his arm had fallen asleep long ago. Seeing her sleep so peacefully made him want to stay there forever, but he knew he had things to do today.

Slowly, he shimmied out from behind her. He moved to the other side of the room, quietly dressed in jeans and a gray shirt before pulling on a blue jacket and a plain baseball hat. Glancing over at Max still asleep in the bed, Steve smiled and pushed some hair from her face. There was something about her sleeping in his bed, wearing his sweatshirt that gave him chills and plunged him into memories of their shared night together several weeks before. She gave a soft sigh and wiggled closer to his hand. Not wanting to wake her, he turned and left to start his day.

* * *

It was surreal to believe that Steve had an entire exhibit dedicated to his triumphs during World War II, but it was just another thing that came along with being Captain America. He had hoped that coming to the museum early would mean that less people would be there, less people who could spot him sneaking around and cause a big commotion. Large masses of people wandered from exhibit to exhibit and hardly paid him any mind. The crowd in the Captain America exhibit was bigger than Steve could have ever expected, even if it was the first day it was open to the public.

He blended in with a crowd of other adults and walked into the red, white and blue string of rooms. It was still strange for him to see his face plastered all over the place, though it had been that way since his return a few years prior.

" _A symbol to the nation. A hero to the world."_

When he had first put on the Captain America suit, danced with star-spangled girls, and repeatedly knocked out a guy dressed as Hitler, Steve was sure that he would be nothing more than a beautified soldier meant to rally Americans during the war. It wasn't until he had saved Bucky and all of those other men, the Howling Commandos included, that he began to realize he could turn the Cap into so much more.

" _The story of Captain America is one of honor, bravery…and sacrifice."_

Steve walked with his head down, the bill of his hat hiding his eyes from anyone glancing in his direction. He stopped at the first display; a picture of his old, scrawny pre-serum body making him smile. It was hard to believe he had ever been that small.

" _Denied enlistment due to poor health, Steven Rogers was chosen for a program unique in the annals of American warfare. One that would transform him into the world's first super soldier."_

A small boy, maybe seven or eight, wearing a Captain America shirt eyed Steve as he stood a few feet away. His big brown eyes stared at him in amazement, like he couldn't comprehend what he was seeing. Steve smiled down at the boy and brought his index finger to his lips, secretly asking the kid not to give his identity away. The boy gave a slow nod and Steve turned to head towards another display.

He stopped by his motorcycle and reminisced about riding up to Hydra compounds he and his team were tasked with taking down. The overhead voice drew Steve's attention away from his bike to the focal point of the massive exhibit room. His eyes took in the sight of his old uniform flanked by the uniforms of his Howling Commandos. This is what Max had been so busy working on the other day that she hadn't taken the time to eat or rest. He had to admit, though, the entire thing looked incredible.

" _Battle tested, Captain America and his Howling Commandos quickly earned their stripes. Their mission: taking down Hydra, the Nazi rogue science division."_

Seeing all of their faces, bright and big, surrounding his own made Steve nostalgic for the old days. It felt like only a short time since he had seen them all and fought alongside them. In reality it had been almost seventy years. He missed them all dearly, but one more than the others. Turning, he was face-to-face with a large glass display dedicated to his fallen brother.

" _Best friends since childhood, Bucky Barnes and Steven Rogers were inseparable on both schoolyard and battlefield. Barnes is the only Howling Commando to give his life in service of his country."_

Pain laced through Steve's chest as he remembered the train, the fight, and the fall that took his best friend from his forever. The film clips of them together made his heart ache to hear Bucky's voice again, to have good belly-aching laugh, to fight along someone he trusted completely instead of these shady S.H.I.E.L.D. agents. Not a day went by that Steve didn't feel responsible for his friend losing his life.

A voice that had haunted even more so than Bucky's drifted out of the cinema room, sending shivers down his spine. The light British timber of Peggy Carter's words was like a siren's song drawing him towards the dark room.

"That was a difficult winter. A blizzard had trapped half our battalion behind the German line. Steve…Captain Rogers, he fought his way through a Hydra blockade that had pinned our allies down for months." Steve opened the compass and stared down at the fading picture of the woman he had loved. "He saved over a thousand men, including the man who would…who would become my husband as it turns out. Even after he died, Steve was still changing my life," Peggy recounted with a soft smile.

Now decades separated them. His life had been put on pause while hers continued to go on without him. He had wondered countless times since being back how things might have turned out if he hadn't been lost in the Artic for over sixty. Would his life with Peggy been any more fulfilling than the one he was tangled up in now? He still loved her. God, did he still love her, but she was nearly gone like the rest of his 1940s life.

* * *

He had known for a while where Peggy was staying, but had never worked up the courage to go see her until he had seen her in the film at the Smithsonian. Needless to say he was nervous about visiting the woman he had fallen in love with in the middle of a raging war. He shifted from nervous to sad, though, as he took in the sight of her tucked in bed, gray/white hair framing her wrinkled faced. Her eyes met his and they sparkled with recognition and love, melting away all of his muddled emotions. It was true that her features might have grown older and changed, but her eyes were still the same as the day he had first seen her at bootcamp.

Sitting in the seat next to her bed, Steve took in his surroundings. Pictures of Peggy's life after the war were on the bedside table. Plaques, awards and metals for her service to the country hung on the walls. Framed directly across from her bed, right where she could see them every morning when she woke up and ever night before she went to bed, were old clippings of Captain America articles.

"You should be proud of yourself, Peggy," he told her as he glanced back at the photos of her with her husband and children. _That could have been my life,_ he thought to himself. But God had something else planned for him.

She hummed in agreement, looked up at Steve, and said, "I have lived a life. My only regret is that you didn't get to live yours."

His eyes dropped to the floor, sadness sweeping through him. Before Max and the baby, Steve had nothing to tether him to this time period besides saving the world, which was something he had become accustomed to in his earlier days. He had felt out of place and alone; the old-timer surrounded by annoying youngsters. It was hard not to wish for his old life back where he was up-to-date with the times and had purpose. Finding out he was going to be a father made him stop wishing for that, though. He realized that he couldn't turn back time until he was back in the midst of WWII. It was his job now to make the 21st century his century and a safe place to raise his child, even if it meant sticking with S.H.I.E.L.D.

"What is it?" Peggy asked.

"For as long as I can remember I just wanted to do what was right. I guess I'm not quite sure what that is anymore. And I thought I could just throw myself back in and follow orders, serve. It's just not the same."

She chuckled, "You're always so dramatic. Look, you saved the world. We rather…mucked it up."

"You didn't," he disagreed. "Knowing that you helped found S.H.I.E.L.D. is half the reason I stay."

"The world has changed and none of us can go back." Peggy grasped Steve's hand an squeezed, almost like she knew he had been pondering about it. "All we can do is our best, and sometimes the best that we can do is to start over."

A grin spread across Steve's face. "I have started over. Well…not on purpose, but I have." She squinted her eyes at him, waiting for him to keep talking. "I'm…uhh…I'm going to be a father."

"Oh, Steve, that's great news," she cheered.

"Yeah, yeah it is. You'd think, though, that being ninety-four would mean I'm ready to be a father, but I'm not. Not when I've seen how bad this world is."

"You may have been born in 1920, and it may be 2014, but you've only really lived for twenty-six years. That makes it perfectly reasonable for you not to be ready," Peggy reasoned. "So the mother, tell me about her."

Steve couldn't help but smile, "She's pretty and smart. Stubborn as hell. Plays the violin like an absolute dream. Met her on top of the Triskelion back in December. She's Director Fury's personal assistant."

"You got Fury's step-daughter pregnant," Peggy gasped and started coughing. Jumping out of the chair, Steve scrambled over to the table by the window and poured a glass of water. He rushed back Peggy's side and helped her drink.

"I didn't know she was his step-daughter at the time," Steve justified, turning away to put the glass on the bedside table. When he glanced back to Peggy, her eyes had gone vacant, glassy, like she wasn't really there.

"Steve?"

"Yeah," he answered quietly.

"You're alive! You…you came, you came back," she cried.

"Yeah, Peggy."

"It's been so long. So long."

He had been told when he learned where she was living that her mental health was slowly deteriorating. It was part of the reason he had been reluctant to come see her. How could he sit by and watch as the woman he loved forgot who she was? He had been lucky to have had a few minutes of clarity with her where they could talk and he knew _his_ Peggy was there. And now she was gone, just like that.

"Well, I couldn't leave my best girl," he tried to sound happy. "Not when she owes me a dance."

* * *

Steve pulled up outside the V.A. and shot a quick text to Max letting her know he would be a while longer before he was home. She replied almost immediately telling him that was fine and that Natasha would be over for lunch so anyways. He tucked his phone into his pocket and headed inside the building.

Once he was through the doors, he followed the sound of Sam Wilson's voice until he stood in the doorway of a room filled with people. Sam was leaning behind a podium as war veterans shared stories of mishaps they've had since being back from their tours.

"The thing is I think it's getting worse. A cop pulled me over last week, he thought I was drunk. I swerved to miss a plastic bag. I thought it was an IED," a young redhead confessed.

"Some stuff you leave there, other stuff you bring back. It's our job to figure out how to carry it. Is it gonna be in a big suitcase or in a little man-purse? It's up to you," Sam ended the meeting and the vets began exiting the room. Steve waited in the hall for Sam to come out after speaking with a few people that had stayed behind to chat.

After a few minutes he rounded the corner and spotted Steve standing there. "Look who it is. The running man."

"Caught the last few minutes. It's pretty intense," Steve admitted.

"Yeah, brother, we all got the same problems. Guilt, regret," Sam said, looking down at his feet.

"You lose someone?"

He nodded. "My wingman, Riley. Fly in the night mission. A standard PJ rescue op, nothing we hadn't done a thousand times before, 'til a RPG knocked Riley's dumb ass out of the sky. Nothing I could do. It's like I was up there just to watch."

Steve felt the same when he thought of how Bucky died. He had tried to reach him but he was too far away and Steve could only watch as he fell to his death. "I'm sorry."

"After that, I had a really hard time finding a reason to stay over there, you know?" Sam questioned and Steve agreed.

"But you're happy now, back in the world?" Steve wondered. They had so much in common. Both of them had lost their closest friend to war and both of them had their purpose in life stripped away until they were left asking if there was something more out there. At least Sam seemed to be on the right track to finding happiness. Steve, on the other hand, wasn't quite sure if he had found it with Max and the baby or not. He still had a feeling in the pit of his stomach that something bad was about to happen, something that would change the road he was traveling on.

"Hey, the number of people giving me orders is down to about zero. So, hell yeah. You thinking about getting out?" Sam asked him, a serious look on his face.

"No. I don't know. To be honest, I don't know what I would do with myself if I did," he said truthfully. It was something he had been going back and forth with since Fury had taken him down to the Insight Bay and shown him what S.H.I.E.L.D. had instore. There were upsides to leaving it all behind: being around for the baby, not having to fly off on missions all the time, staying out of the line of fire. But it also meant putting his faith in others to protect the world. He didn't think he could do that.

"Ultimate fighting?" Sam joked, making Steve laugh. "It's just a great idea off the top of my head. But seriously, you could do whatever you want to do. What makes you happy?"

"I don't know."

* * *

It felt like it had been ages since she had seen Nat when it had only, truly, been a week or so. Max couldn't believe it had been such a short time that she had known she was expecting a baby. So much had been packed into the previous days that it made it seem a lot longer.

Max had ordered in Chinese food from Natasha's favorite take-out place in the city. They had all of the white cartons spread out on the coffee table as they chatted on the couch, tongs flying from carton to carton now and then. It was just like how they had spent time together back after her mom had died.

"This is a really cute place your dad set you up with," Nat commented in between bites of lo mien. "Although I don't see why he made you move out of headquarters all of a sudden. You'd been there for years."

Alright so they were just going to get right down to business then. "I umm…that's…that's why I asked you to come over. To explain all of this," I said as I gestured to the apartment.

"Spit it out, Stirling," Natasha demanded.

"Well you see it all started when I got into an argument with Fury and I went up to the roof and someone was already there and we got to talking and drinking and I didn't mean to get drunk but that Asgardian alcohol is strong and we ended up going back to his place because it was raining and we were getting wet so I followed him and he's super-hot so you can't really blame me. You know how I am when I drink. Total slut, right? Anyways I kinda talked him into, you know, sleeping with me and I woke up the next morning and he was gone so I thought I was all fine and dandy but I wasn't because of those stupid employee physicals and then they told Fury and he wasn't happy and he stuck us in this apartment together and that's how I ended up moving out of the Triskelion."

"Right. So you're saying you're—," Nat started.

"Pregnant, yes."

"Pregnant," she repeated.

"Correct."

She stood up and started pacing the room. Pacing was okay, pacing was good. Minutes ticked by but Max wasn't about to interrupt Nat. She had to pee severely thanks to the tiny human growing inside of her, but she also wasn't about to get up and walk out of the room. It was getting damn-near unbearable and then Nat spoke up.

"Who's—," she began but was cut off when her foot bumped into something and a metallic clang rang through the living room. Max wanted to laugh because that was the exact same way she had discovered the identity of the person she had stupidly slept with. "No, no, no, no…Cap? You've got to be kidding me, Maxi."

"I wish I was, really I do."

"I suppose he's not the worst person you could've slept with. Far from it actually," she sighed and sat back down next to Max. "You said Asgardian alcohol and I was thinking the worst. Jane would have killed you if it was Thor and I would have killed you if it was Loki."

"God, no! Thor gave Steve alcohol from Asgard 'cause alcohol from here has no effect on him. I was silly enough to ask for some when I went up to the roof to cool down after my fight with Fury. I was upset and just wanted to forget for a while. And look what it got me," she chuckled lightly.

"A baby," the redhead said like she couldn't believe it was true.

"Yep, due at the end of July," Max informed her. "And I was thinking since you've always been here for me during the rough times, that you would maybe want to be the godmother?"

Natasha shifted on the couch as if she was uncomfortable. "I…Are you sure?"

"Absolutely. Besides, you're like the only girl I really talk to," she laughed.

"Then I would be honored to. You know I love kids and I'm going to love the hell out of yours," Nat smiled, her eyes shining.

"Nat…," Max trailed off unable to find the right words.

"It's fine," she assured as she peered out the window across the room. "How's Rogers taking it?"

"He's trying to keep it together. I don't think he wants me to see how scared he is, but I do. And now things have gotten even more complicated because the baby's not exactly normal. He or she has inherited some of Steve's Super Soldier DNA and it's taking a toll on me. That just adds to his stress and guilt."

Her friend was quiet for a minute, processing everything. "Go pee and we'll keep talking," Nat instructed her. Max looked at her in disbelief. "You always bounce your leg when you're holding it in."

Max made a mad scramble for the bathroom without a second thought. It was the best feeling to empty her bladder after waiting for more than ten minutes. She came back into the living room to find her best friend was gone and, in her place, Agent Romanoff was talking into her phone and packing items in a small suitcase.

"Grab whatever you need and put it in here. Quickly," Natasha ordered Max when she caught sight of her standing there looking confused.

Having been traded not to question orders, max ran to her room and collected all of her essentials before returning and throwing it into the case. Nat had gone from talking on the phone to typing away on her screen.

"Nat—,"

"Find a notepad and write a note for Steve. Tell him Snow White is safe"

She scribbled it out fast, pulled off the sticky note and handed it to Nat. The agent crossed the living room and stuck it to the underside of the Captain's shield. Then she flung the suitcase strap over her shoulder and led the way out of the apartment, her gun pointed out in front of her. Max tried not to panic. It had to be bad if they had to evacuate the apartment in such a hurry. She hoped Steve got a similar call to the one Natasha received, but, judging by the fact that she had left a note, it was unlikely. Fear burned through her and she prayed he wouldn't be hurt by whatever was threatening them.

* * *

 **Hooray! I hope it was worth the wait. I have the next week off so I'm hoping to get out another chapter. I'm sorry for any spelling or grammar errors.**

 **Check out my other Captain America story: For Your Protection :)**

 **Tumblr: southernkaiti12 - if you want to see what Max looks like.**

 **Until next time -KAITi-**


	10. Chapter 10

**Hey, loves! New chapter full of lots of sadness. Writing Fury's death scene was difficult and I hope I did a good enough job for you guys. Things are starting to really pick up. I wonder how Max will fit in to the rest of TWS plot...**evil laughter**. Thanks to everyone that's followed/ favorited/ reviewed. Much love! And thanks to everyone for taking the time to read my story!**

 **Disclaimer: Marvel is not mine.**

 **On we go...**

* * *

 **The Violinist**

 **Chapter 10**

Steve arrived back at the apartment after the sun had gone down. He hadn't planned on staying out so late but after his talk with Sam, Steve took a long walk to think about what he really wanted out of life. The constant fighting and protecting the world had been all fine and dandy when he just had to look out for himself. Now that Max and the baby were thrown into the equation, his perspective was changing.

The sound of jazz fell on his ears as he approached his floor. There was no light at the bottom of the door letting him know that Max was still up. He didn't hear any voices chatting away so Nat must have already left. All he could make out beyond the smooth jazz was a single heartbeat. Deciding that going in through the front door would make him an easier target, Steve turned and headed back downstairs to climb the fire escape. While on his way, he sent a quick message to Max asking where she was and if she was safe.

Darkness greeted him when he entered through the window, the music swelling around him. He spotted his shield leaning against one of the shelves in the living room. Swiftly and quietly he retrieved it and spun to find Fury slumped in a chair a few feet away.

"I don't remember giving you a key," Steve said, scanning the apartment for any sign that would tell him where Max had gone. Something tickled his right arm where he had it secured behind his shield. He ignored it and continued watching Fury.

"You think I'd really need one?" he laughed and shifted in his seat. "My wife kicked me out."

 _A lie,_ Steve knew and realized something bad must have gone down. There was something in the way he said it, something in Fury's expression, which let Steve know he had to go along with the lie. "Didn't know you were married."

"There are a lot of things you don't know about me," the director declared.

"I know, Nick. That's the problem."

Steve moved closer to Fury and flicked on the light switch. His eyes scanned over the one-eyed man's body and took in the cuts on this face and hands, the broken arm, the cracked ribs. Someone had attacked him and now he was turning to Steve for help.

Fury reached up slowly, clearly in pain, and turned the lights off. He held a finger to his lips so that Steve would remain quiet. Pulling his phone out of his pocket, he typed something out and turned the screen towards the Super Soldier so he could read it. _'Ears everywhere'_ , it read.

"I'm sorry to do this, but I have no place to crash," Fury continued with his story, standing and staggering over to Steve. He typed out another message and showed it to Steve: ' _SHIELD compromised'._

Discreetly, Steve reached behind his shield and pinched the sticky note that had been rubbing against his arm. He quickly scanned it and held it out to Fury so he could see. They both nodded and went back to talking.

"Who else knows about your wife?" he asked. His own phone chimed in his pocket. Max.

 _'You and me'_ , he wrote. "Just…my friends."

Steve chuckled, "Is that what we are?"

"That's up to you," Fury replied. Suddenly, the window Steve had crawled inside earlier shattered from the force of three bullets rocketing through the glass and into Fury's chest. He hit the floor with a grunt, Steve frozen in shock for a split second. Glancing out of the window, Steve surveyed the rooftops for the shooter. Then he grabbed the director's arm and dragged him into the kitchen. Just as Steve was about to let go of him and hunt down the gunman, Fury pressed something into his hand. He peered down to see the flash drive Nat had on the ship and shot the dying man a confused look. "Don't…trust anyone."

Fury's eye shut as someone kicked in the front door. Steve snapped around, his shield tight against him, to find his blonde neighbor rushing inside.

"Captain Rogers," she called from the living room. A gun was held in front of her as she surveyed the apartment. "Captain, I'm Agent 13 of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s special service."

"Kate?" he asked, confused.

"I'm assigned to protect you and Ms. Stirling," she clarified.

"On whose order?"

She caught sight of Fury sprawled out on the floor and answered, "His." Kate pulled out a radio stashed in her back pocket and spoke, "Foxtrot is down. He's unresponsive. I need EMTs."

"Do you have a twenty on the shooter?" an agent asked.

Steve noticed movement on the roof across from them. "Tell them I'm in pursuit."

He made sure his shield was secure before barreling out of the window and onto the rooftop where the shooter was waiting for him.

* * *

Max never knew that the basement of Shaker's Music Studio was a S.H.I.E.L.D. bunker. It made sense now why Fury insisted she take up violin lessons here as opposed to somewhere else. And why Wayne never let her venture down into the basement while she was here.

Nat had stationed herself behind a wall of computer screens monitoring the streets of D.C. She was paying extra attention to a vehicle chase that had happened that afternoon, which ended in a huge crash. The black SUV in the surveillance videos looked similar to the ones that S.H.I.E.L.D. used.

Max was curled up on the couch in the small sitting area just to the right of the wall of computers. It was getting late and she kept trying to fight back yawns. She munched on some stale potato chips she'd sniffed out in one of the cabinets when they had first arrived. The chewing wasn't doing much to help keep her awake. This baby was leeching all of her energy and she was only two months in.

She released a hefty sigh just as her phone vibrated on the table in front of her. Natasha swiveled in her computer chair a few seconds later when her own phone chimed.

"'Are you safe?'" Max read her message aloud. She then waited for Nat to do the same. When the redhead stayed quiet, it was hard not to start panicking. The agent's face was full of dread for a split second before she went expressionless. A queasy feeling began bubbling in Max's stomach. "What is it, Nat?"

It took her a minute to respond, "It's just Steve letting me know where we need to meet him."

"Can't he come here? I didn't think we were supposed to leave until we got word from Fury."

Natasha flinched. She was hiding something. "He's with Fury right now. We have orders to meet them now."

"What about the phone call you got before we came here? They told you something happened and to protect me, right?" Max questioned.

Nat nodded and stood. "The plans have changed, though. I have to take you to Steve. Now."

* * *

Max tried not to completely lose it when they pulled up to the main hospital entrance, her heart pounding against her ribcage. Natasha had said she was taking her to see Steve and she prayed that he was unscathed when she saw him. She needed Steve. There was no way in hell she could do this, raise this baby, without him by her side.

Her legs were shaky as they worked their way through the hospital until they arrived at the correct doorway. S.H.I.E.L.D. agents wandered about the halls and they all seemed to be on high-alert. The bubbling in her stomach grew stronger.

Nat went into the room ahead of her. Max followed slowly, trying to steel herself for whatever lay beyond the stark white door in front of her. Everyone was gathered at the large window in the room watching the events in the next room unfold. Nat stood with Steve, their expressions vacant. Steve turned when he sensed her behind them. He exhaled loudly, relief flooding him, and she could see some of the stress drain from his body.

His arms wrapped me into a tight hug and I instantly relaxed, breathing in his familiar scent. Pulling away, Max caught sight of her stepfather lying motionless on the operating table in the other room. Doctors worked hastily to fix the damage his body had suffered.

Her knees gave out and she was sure she was going to hit the floor because of the scene before her. Steve reacted quickly and held her tight against him, saving her from falling down.

"Is he going to make it?" Max whispered. Her words were barely loud enough for even Steven to make out.

"I don't know," he breathed, tingles brushing along her ear from his words.

Natasha, now in full-blown agent mode, spoke up, "Tell me about the shooter."

"He's fast and strong. He had a metal arm," Steve replied. He turned his attention to the other women in the room, but made sure to keep an eye on Max.

"Ballistics?"

Agent Maria Hill entered the room at that exact moment with the information regarding the bullets. "Three slugs. No rifling and completely untraceable."

"Soviet made?" Natasha wondered.

"Yeah," Hill answered as she observed the surgery.

All of them watched on in shock as Fury's stability deteriorated. Max was trying to breathe steadily, but she was fighting between throwing up and passing out. Flashes of her fifth birthday and her mother's death bombarded her. Steve's hold on her tightened and he was mumbling nonsense into her ear, things she couldn't hear over the roaring of her blood rushing through her.

"He's dropping," one doctor called out.

"Don't do this to me," Max pleaded with her unconscious stepfather.

"Stand back! Three, two, one: CLEAR!"

Max jerked in succession with Fury's body.

"Pulse?"

"No pulse."

Another round of defibrillation and another involuntary jerk from Max.

"Don't do this to me. Please, don't do this to me," she repeated, her hand pressed to the glass window.

"What time is it?" a doctor asked one of the nurses.

"1:03, doctor."

He gave a curt nod, "Time of death 1:03 a.m."

* * *

She just needed a few minutes to say goodbye. A few minutes to collect herself before they turned his body over to the coroners. A few minutes to let it sink in that she was parentless.

Steve hovered closely behind her. Natasha was rooted by the door, unable to move near Fury's body and say her goodbyes.

"We need to take him," Hill announced when she entered the silent room.

"Max," Steve said, stepping forward and placing a hand on her elbow. She didn't make a move to leave. Reaching out with an unsteady hand, she laid it on Fury's forehead and sighed. He had been her last remaining tie to her past, to her parents, and now he was just gone. Dead.

 _No pulse…time of death 1:03 a.m…no pulse…time of death 1:03 a.m…no pulse, no pulse…_

She swiftly kissed Fury's forehead and removed her hand. The silence of the room was becoming too much for her to handle. Max needed to get out. Out of the room, out of the hospital, out of the city.

Spinning on her heels, Max bolted around Steve and out into the hallway where a sea of agents easily swallowed her up.

"Max!" Steve shouted from somewhere behind her.

She knew he and Nat would be rushing after her. It wasn't safe to leave the building without one of them, so she settled for finding somewhere to calm down. Suddenly, the perfect spot popped into her head and she began moving even faster to get there.

 _No pulse…time of death 1:03 a.m…no pulse…time of death 1:03 a.m…no pulse, no pulse…_

* * *

 **Hope you guys enjoyed! The next chapter will be up sometime in the next week or so. I'm getting pretty busy with getting my stuff together for new semester to start. I'll try not to take forever, though. Love you all!**

 **Sorry for any spelling/ grammar errors.**

 **Until next time -KAITi-**


	11. Chapter 11

**Hello again, my lovely readers. Here's a nice new chapter for you all to enjoy. It's a full-on Steve chapter and things are getting intense, but you should know that since this follows TWS plot...anyways...**

 **Disclaimer: Marvel isn't mine.**

 **On we go...**

* * *

 **The Violinist**

 **Chapter 11**

"Where'd she go?" Natasha asked Steve as they raced through the halls of the hospital after Max.

Steve's thoughts were a jumbled mess but he tried to focus on somewhere she would go, somewhere she could be alone and take a minute to breathe. He racked his brain. Suddenly a memory popped up of them on the roof of the Triskelion a few months earlier. She had gone up to the roof to take a break from the stress of being Fury's assistant.

"She's on the roof," Steve answered and took off running for the door leading to the stairs, Natasha right on his heels.

Several flights of stairs later Steve found himself at the door to the roof standing wide open, the bright sunlight spilling onto the floor at his feet. He took a couple of deep breaths before walking out to find Max. Nat hung back by the door to let him approach her alone.

She sat on the edge of the tall building with her feet dangling over. He tried not to freak out at the sight of her so close to falling to her death, but his heart beat against his ribcage from worry. Her fingers were digging into the gravel of the rooftop and he could hear her gentle sobs. The need to hold her was unbearable. He crept up next to her and sat down.

"Max," he whispered and looked at her. Her face was streaked with tears, her cheeks red from crying, her body shaking uncontrollably. She let out a choked sob and fell into his side, his arm wrapping around her waist.

"Please tell me this is one of his silly, paranoid plans where he fakes his death to protect S.H.I.E.L.D. intelligence," Max begged; her words quiet.

Steve pulled her tighter to him. "I wish I could tell you that."

"You saw him before he was shot. He was at the apartment, wasn't he?"

"Yeah, I found him banged up in the living room when I got back."

"So you saw my note?" she questioned, looking over her shoulder to spot the redhead by the door.

He nodded. "How did you know something was going to happen?"

"Nat got a call after we finished eating. They told her to get me somewhere safe and protect me."

They sat there in silence for a few minutes, Max's tears slowing until they stopped. The bad feeling she had in her gut all day was still going strong despite the revelations of the past few hours. She knew that Fury was killed for a reason and that something huge was about to take place. Things were finally being set in motion and she was sure Steve would wind up in the middle of it all.

"I was so scared when Natasha pulled up outside the hospital. She said you were with Fury. I just assumed you were the one hurt. I don't know why, maybe because someone always stabs or shoots you," she sighed. "I don't think I ever saw him with any more than a few bruises and scuffs from a fight. Now he's gone and my brain can't seem to comprehend that."

Steve hugged her tight and looked out at the sun shining before him. "S.H.I.E.L.D. is without a director now. Something about all of this doesn't sit right with me."

"What did he say to you before he was shot?" Max asked and looked up at his worried face.

"He told me S.H.I.E.L.D. was compromised and not to trust anyone."

She glanced down at the ground and nodded, taking his words in. The wheels were indeed in motion on some grand scheme. But who was the puppeteer pulling the strings?

"What do we do now?"

"Keep moving and prepare to fight."

* * *

Steve left the roof with Max and Natasha in tow. He was in full-on soldier mode going through all of the information and surveying for any possible threats heading their way. They went back to the floor where Fury had been and walked among the other agents like everything was fine. The three of them came to a stop by a vending machine.

"Why was Fury in your apartment?" Natasha inquired in a low voice.

"I don't know," he answered without sneaking a glance at Max.

Agent Rumlow approached and looked at Steve with his usual blank expression. "Captain, they want you back at S.H.I.E.L.D."

"Yeah, give me a second."

"They want you now," the scruffy agent persisted.

"Okay," he snapped and turned back to the women in front of him.

Natasha wore a pissed-off snarl on her face. "You're a terrible liar."

The redhead went to leave but Steve's voice made her pause, "Keep Max close to you. I'll be back soon."

He walked towards Rumlow and his team. The thought of going back to the Triskelion after Fury's death made him even more concerned than he previously was. Word would have gotten around that the late director had been in Steve's apartment when he was shot. People would want answers.

"Strike team, escort Captain Rogers back to S.H.I.E.L.D. immediately," an agent called out.

Steve glanced down the hallway at the team of agents waiting for him and then back to the vending machine he had been standing near. He reached into the pocket of his jeans and thumbed the USB drive Fury had given him. Taking it with him to headquarters would probably be a bad idea. He looked down at the man restocking the snacks; the door to the machine wide open. Without dwelling on his decision, Steve hid the drive in behind a row of gum and strolled down the crowded hall.

"Let's go," Steve told Rumlow.

"Yeah." The agent turned to his men, "Strike, move it out."

* * *

"Ah, Captain. I'm Alexander Pierce," the older man greeted him when he entered his office.

"Sir, it's an honor," Steve replied and shook the man's hand.

Pierce took a seat in a cushy chair and Steve followed suit by taking a spot on the neighboring couch.

"The honor is mine, Captain. My father served in the 101st," he said and pulled out an old photograph of Fury and him, handing it to Steve. "That photo was taken five years after Nick and I met when I was at State Department in Bogota. ELN rebels took the embassy, and security got me out, but the rebels took the hostages. Nick was deputy chief for the S.H.I.E.L.D. station there. And he comes to me with a plan. He wants to storm the building through the sewers. I said 'No, we'll negotiate'. Turned out the ELN didn't negotiate, so they put out a kill order. They stormed the basement and what did they find? They find it empty. Nick had ignored my direct order and carried out an unauthorized military operation on foreign soil. He saved the lives of a dozen political officers, including my daughter and the man that would become his best friend, Thomas Stirling."

Steve froze at the mention of Max's father's name. He had read about the renowned agent in the file Fury gave him one day after he and Max had moved in together. The fact that Pierce was aware of how close Fury was to Thomas Stirling made him wonder if he knew anything about Max being the late director's stepdaughter. His mind was racing but he kept his face void of emotion.

"So you gave him a promotion."

"I've never had any cause to regret it," the councilman admitted. "Captain, why was Nick in your apartment last night?"

"I don't know."

"You know it was bugged?"

"I did because Nick told me."

"Did he tell you he was the one who bugged it?" Pierce asked and waited for a response. Steve honestly wasn't surprised since Fury had set the place up for Max and he to stay in. When Steve didn't answer, Pierce moved on."I want you to see something."

The older man turned in his seat to face a large screen behind them. Footage began rolling and Steve took in the sight of a familiar man being interrogated.

" _Who hired you, Batroc?"_ a S.H.I.E.L.D. agent demanded in the video.

"Is that live?" Steve questioned.

Pierce nodded. "Yeah, they picked him up last night in a not-so-safe house in Algiers."

"Are you saying he's a suspect? Assassination isn't Batroc's line."

"No, it's more complicated than that. Batroc was hired anonymously to attack the Lemurian Star and he was contacted by e-mail and paid by wire transfer. And then the money was run through seventeen fictitious accounts, the last one going to a holding company that was registered to a Jacob Veech," he explained.

"Am I supposed to know who that is?"

Pierce shook his head and said, "Not likely. Veech died six years ago. His last address was 14-35 Elmhurst Drive. When I first met Nick, his mother lived at 14-37."

"Are you saying that Fury hired the pirates? Why?" Steve asked, confused.

"Well the prevailing theory was that the hijacking was a cover for the acquisition and sale of classified intelligence. The sale went sour and that led to Nick's death."

"If you really knew Nick Fury, you'd know that's not true," the soldier defended.

"Why do you think we're talking?" the man wondered and slid closer to Steve. "See, I took a seat on the Council not because I wanted to but because Nick asked me to, because we were both realists. We knew that despite all the diplomacy and the handshaking and the rhetoric, that to build a really better world sometimes means having to tear the old one down." Something about the way Pierce said that made Steve think back to his battle against the Red Skull during World War II. It sounded awfully similar to something Johann Schmidt would have said. "And that makes enemies; those people that call you dirty because you got the guts to stick your hands in the mud and try to build something better. And the idea that those people could be happy today makes me really, really angry," he paused. "Captain, you were the last one to see Nick alive. I don't think that's an accident, and I don't think you do either. So I'm gonna ask you again, why was he there?"

Steve locked eyes with the councilman and spoke, "He told me not to trust anyone."

"I wonder if that included him," Pierce proposed, making Steve take a minute to consider it before responding.

"I'm sorry. Those were his last words. Excuse me."

He stood from the couch and headed for the door. It was only a few steps until he heard Pierce speak out.

"Captain." Steve reluctantly spun to face the man again. The councilman's face had gone dark; his voice full of hostility. "Somebody murdered my friend and I'm gonna find out why. Anyone gets in my way, they're gonna regret it. _Anyone_."

"Understood," he complied, biting back a snarl.

"Oh, and make sure to send my condolences to Maxine," Pierce purred. Steve froze with ice running through his veins. "Such a hard life she's had to live, losing three parents. Thank goodness she has you to protect her."

* * *

 **Oh snap! Alexander Pierce is just asking for a good 'ole Captain America beating! Max will be back in the next chapter and the good guys start forming a plan to start fixing things up. Hope you guys are enjoying this! Love hearing from you all. I'll work on getting the next update out soon- if my One Direction fanfics stop begging me to keep writing...anyways...**

 **Thanks for all the reviews and favorites!**

 **Sorry for any errors. My bad.**

 **Until next time -KAITi-**


	12. Chapter 12

**Um, hi **waves****

 **First off, let me apologize for taking entirely too long to update this story. My father passed away and I lost all my motivation to write, or to even get out of bed some days. I finally got past my block a few weeks ago and have been working on this chapter, and chapters for my other fanfics on here and on Wattpad. Anyways, I'm sorry, and I hope you like this new chapter.**

 **Disclaimer: I wish I owned Marvel, or even just Loki...but I don't**

 **On we go...**

* * *

 **The Violinist**

 **Chapter 12**

Max paced back and forth in the quiet hospital room as she waited for Steve to return. Natasha leaned against the wall by the door; ready to jump into action if anyone unwanted entered the room.

"He'll be fine, Maxi. You can stop pacing and save your energy," the redhead assured her. It didn't help the sour feeling she had in her stomach that had been getting worse the longer Steve had been gone.

"Something's not right," she mumbled.

Natasha scoffed, "Of course not. Nick is dead and we're sitting ducks right now while some maniac is out there waiting to take us down."

Max let her head fall at the reminder of her stepfather's murder. Tears instantly sprung to her eyes and she inhaled in a feeble attempt to keep them at bay. Nat felt bad for being so straightforward with the broken girl. She already had so much on her plate and she didn't need the assassin adding more to that.

"Max, I—," she began to apologize, but was cut off as the door was ripped open and she was slammed against the wall. Her training was about to kick in when her eyes connected with the blue irises of Steve Rogers.

"Where is it?" he demanded, pushing her farther into the wall.

"Safe."

"Do better," he snarled, pissed that she was keeping it from him.

"Steve?" Max called out to him, but he ignored her. Right now, the mission needed his full attention.

"Where did you get it?" Natasha questioned.

He backed off and ran his hand through his windblown hair. _Don't trust anyone._ "Why would I tell you?"

"Fury gave it to you," she deduced. "Why?"

"What's on it?"

"I don't know."

"Stop lying!" he snapped.

"I only act like I know everything, Rogers," she retorted.

"I bet you knew Fury hired the pirates, didn't you?"

At the mention of her stepfather's name, Max moved closer to the two Avengers.

"Well, it makes sense. The ship was dirty. Fury needed a way in, so do you."

"I'm not asking you again," Steve snarled.

"I know who killed Fury," Natasha revealed. Her eyes flicked between Steve and Max, knowing she had their attention. "Most of the intelligence community doesn't believe he exists, the ones that do call him the Winter Soldier. He's credited with over two dozen assassinations in the last fifty years."

"So he's a ghost story,' he guessed. He glanced down at Max as her arm brushed against his. For a second, he forgot about the situation they were in, an electric jolt spiking through him, and was happy at the fact that she was safe.

"Five years ago I was escorting a nuclear engineer out of Iran. Somebody shot out my tires near Odessa. We lost control, went straight over a cliff. I pulled us out, but the Winter Soldier was there. I was covering my engineer, so he shot straight through me," she explained, lifting her shirt to show them the scar the bullet left. "Soviet slug, no rifling. Bye-bye bikinis."

"Yeah, I bet you look terrible in them," Max said and rolled her eyes.

"Going after him is a dead end. I know, I've tried." She held out the flash drive for Steve to take. "Like you said, he's a ghost story."

He snatched the drive and looked between the two women, "Then it's time to do some ghost hunting. Let's go."

Steve grabbed Max's hand and pulled her behind him as they exited the room. He ducked his head and she did the same. Natasha crept along behind them as they made their way out of the hospital. They all let out a breath when they reached the parking lot unrecognized.

"We're gonna need a ride to the mall," the assassin spoke up, keeping her eyes moving around the area in case of a threat.

"I have the truck, c'mon," Steve told them, starting to walk in the direction he parked.

They approached the vehicle and Max noticed the bullet holes that hadn't been there earlier. "Steve, what happened?"

"Rumlow and his Strike team attacked me after I met with Alexander Pierce."

"Oh my god. Why?" Max gaped as she hopped into the backseat.

"They're rogue. Nick told me not to trust anyone. Guess he meant them," he sighed and slid behind the steering wheel. Nat took shotgun, staying quiet. "Wonder who else is on that list."

"Are you hurt?" Max worried.

"I'm fine, doll. Not a scratch on me," he promised, looking at her through the rearview mirror. Blush rose to her face when he called her 'doll' in front of her best friend, making a small smile form on Steve's face.

"The closest mall is a twenty minute drive. We should hurry," Nat interrupted their little moment.

Max put on her seat belt and leaned onto the center console. "Why are we going to the mall? Not that I don't love shopping. I would kill for new pants, mine are starting to get tight, but we have people out after us."

"A change of clothes wouldn't hurt to help throw them off, but we need to see what's on this flash drive. Better to do it in a public place where it's harder to track us," Steve clarified.

"We can get you some bigger pants, don't worry," Nat chuckled, sneaking a glance back at her friend.

"Shut up. It's not like I have control over it," Max pouted, making Natasha snicker again.

"Blame the father," the redhead suggested. "Isn't that what pregnant women usually do?"

The tiny brunette laughed and peeked up at Steve; an anxious expression on his face. It was amusing, thinking that he didn't want to be on the receiving end of Max's pregnancy rage. The rest of the ride to the mall was quiet after that.

* * *

It being the start of a new year, just after the holidays, which meant plenty of people to hide amongst. They wasted no time entering the crowded mall and heading straight to the closest clothing stores. Every action went unspoken; each person going with small signals to know what the next move was.

Natasha and Max split from Steve and went into a women's store. All the clothes were super trendy and, for Nat, probably too girly. Max sifted through the racks of blue jeans, excited to finally be in a size that would accommodate her growing belly. She grabbed the first pair that was a size bigger and some random hoodie before racing off to the dressing room. Her friend was already thrashing around in another room, clothes being tossed in every direction. They exited at the same time and Nat grasped Max's hand so she would keep up. Thankfully the employee was distracted by an inquisitive customer and didn't see the two women sneaking out of the store.

Spotting Steve a few stores down, they slowed their pace and approached him. His blond hair was covered with a plain blue baseball cap. The clothes he picked were boring, simple pieces that would make him blend in well. Max watched his eyes travel from her head to her feet, only pausing at her midsection, where the baggy hoodie easily hid the small bump she had.

"Alright we have to be quick," Steve huffed.

"First rule of going on the run is, don't run, walk," Natasha said, sounding like she was reciting something out of a textbook on being a fugitive.

The Super Soldier sighed, "If I run in these shoes, they're gonna fall off."

Not missing another beat, the assassin turned and melted into the mallgoers. Max and Steve followed. He slipped his hand into hers and laced their fingers. A small gasp escaped the tiny brunette as a bolt of electricity shot up her arm. Before she could say anything, he tugged her gently into the Apple store where Nat was waiting. He passed an employee helping a customer and snatched the glasses out of his pocket without stopping—seems he thought something was missing from his new look.

"The drive has a Level Six homing program, so as soon as we boot up, S.H.I.E.L.D. will know exactly where we are," the redhead explained.

"How much time do we have?" Steve asked, eyeing Max.

"Uh…about nine minutes from…," she started and paused as she popped the flash drive into one of the laptops. "Now. Fury was right about that ship, somebody's trying to hide something. This drive is protected by some sort of AI. It keeps rewriting itself to counter my commands."

"Can you override it?"

"The person who developed this is slightly smarter than me. _Slightly,_ " she joked and continued typing away.

Max tapped her fingertips on the countertop, impatiently. It was like she could feel the Strike team moving in closer and closer to them. Suddenly, an overly cheery employee popped up next to Steve.

"Can I help you guys with anything?"

Max jumped in immediately so Nat could keep working. She slapped on an over-exaggerated grin and made her voice extra girly. "Oh, no. My wedding planner was just helping my fiancé and me with some honeymoon destinations."

Steve tensed beside her, stuffing his hands deep into his pockets. Max scooted closer and looped her arm through his. He looked super awkward with the situation. "Right!" he spit out loudly. "We're getting married."

"Congratulations. Where are you guys thinking about going?"

Glancing over his shoulder to check on Natasha, he saw a dot closing in on a location. "New Jersey," he spit out.

"Oh," the guy seemed surprised with that answer. Then his eyes narrowed as he observed Steve. "I have the exact same glasses."

"Wow, you two are practically twins," Max exclaimed with a nervous giggle.

"Yeah, I wish. Specimen," the employee said and gestured to Steve's muscular body, which was nothing compared to his slightly pudgy body type. "Uh, if you guys need anything, I've been Aaron."

The soldier gave a faint 'thank you' and turned to see how Natasha was doing. "You said nine minutes, come on."

"Shh, relax. Got it."

 _Wheaton, New Jersey._

"You know it?" Max asked after seeing the expression on Steve's face—like he had just flashed back to the 1940s.

"I used to. Let's go," he mumbled and grabbed her hand again after pulling the flash drive from the computer.

They were on high alert as the exited the store. Being on the second floor of the mall, there weren't as many people, which meant they were easier to spot. The ground floor would benefit them much more, and would give them more escape routes.

Max's heart was beating faster. She was beyond afraid that they would get caught, or worse, killed. From what Steve told them, these guys were the 'shoot first, ask questions later' kind. Nat and Steve would keep her safe at any cost, but she didn't want it to come to that.

"Standard tac-team. Two behind, two across, two coming straight at us. If they make us, I'll engage. You guys hit the south escalator to the metro," he advised as they hurried to the escalator leading to the first floor.

She had been trained like any other agent, but being pregnant changed how she thought about situations like this one. Steve and Natasha were whispering back and forth, trying to assess the next move.

"Shut up and put your arm around me," she snapped at the blond. "Laugh at something I said."

"What?" he asked, confused at where this was going.

"Do it!"

He wasted no time complying with her demand. His arms slung around her slim shoulders and he laughed. It was hard to tell if she wanted him to do that for comfort or to try and blend in more.

" _Negative at the source,_ " Max heard one of the men say as they stepped onto the escalator. She recognized him as Agent Jack Rollins.

Agent Rumlow stood beside him, scanning the area. " _Give me a floor rundown._ "

" _Negative on three._ "

" _Negative on two._ "

" _Snake the upper levels, work down to me,_ " Rumlow ordered.

Max's whole body tensed as she watched two agents riding the escalator towards them. There was no way they wouldn't be seen from this short of a distance.

"Kiss her," Nat chokes out, nudging Steve closer to Max.

"What?" he said, appalled.

"Public displays of affection make people very uncomfortable," she elaborated.

"Yes, they do."

Max didn't want to sit there and listen to her friends bicker while they were in danger. So she listened to her best friend and grabbed Steve, pulling him down and smashing her lips to his. Heat coursed through her veins—she felt like she had been struck by lightning. She could feel him go rigid, surprised by her swift action. But after a few seconds, he thawed and worked his lips in sync with hers.

It seemed like they were connected for an eternity, floating through space. Just the two of them. The mall and the Strike team were forgotten for a little bit. Sadly, things came to an end when Nat tapped Steve on the shoulder, signaling that they were in the clear.

He pulled away, but didn't let Max go. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw the redhead smirking. She moved down a stair to give Steve and Max some room—she had tucked herself behind the tall Super Soldier while he was caught up the mother of his child. The tension surrounding them dissipated and they sighed. They just had to get back to the truck.

* * *

Steve helped Max into the backseat of the truck. She plopped down and he could tell she was exhausted, physically and mentally.

"Nat, there's some snacks in the glove box. Can you grab a couple for Max?"

She popped the compartment open and seized a handful of pouches, tossing them at Max. Excited to be eating, the brunette laid across the seats and ripped into her first bag. The truck hummed to life and they quickly left the parking lot.

Everyone was quiet for a long time—it was a couple hours to New Jersey. Max nodded in and out, Steve keeping an eye on her in the rearview mirror.

"You still uncomfortable?" Romanoff broke the silence.

"It's not exactly the word I would use."

"Alright, I have a question for you, which you don't have to answer. I feel like if you don't answer it, though, you're kind of answering it, you know?" she laughed.

"What?" he asked, a little annoyed and a little worried about the question.

"Was Max your first kiss since 1945?"

He sneaked a peek at the woman asleep in the back to see if she woke to the sound of her name. Thankfully she seemed to be out cold.

"Seemed that bad, huh?"

Nat shrugged, "I didn't say that."

"Well, it kind of sounds like that's what you're saying," he shot back.

"No, I didn't. I'm sure Max enjoyed it a lot," she laughed. "I just wondered how much practice you've had, ya know, before she came along."

"You don't need practice," Steve replied, defensively.

Max let out an unexpected giggle at that. His heart stopped when he realized she had been faking the whole time. Blush crept into his cheeks.

"Everybody needs practice," Max said, grinning.

"It was not my first kiss since 1945. I'm ninety-five. I'm not dead."

His heart sunk when he caught Max's face fall at his words. Did that upset her, that he had been with other women? Surely not, they were just friends after all.

 _Friends having a baby…_

"Nobody special, though?" Nat kept pressing.

"Believe it or not, it's kind of hard to find someone with shared life experience," he chuckled.

"Well, that's alright. You'll just make something up," she shrugged it off.

"What, like you?"

"I don't know," she thought. "The truth is a matter of circumstances. It's not all things to all people all the time. And neither am I."

"That's a tough way to live," Steve muttered.

"It's a good way not to die, though," Max offered.

"You know, it's kind of hard to trust someone when you don't know who that someone is," Steve admitted. It wasn't sure if he was talking about just Natasha…or Max too.

"Yeah. Who do you want me to be?" the assassin inquired.

"How about a friend?"

Max and Nat laughed lightly at that. It was hard for the redhead to be anyone's friend. Max and Clint Barton were the only exceptions to her usual closed-off persona.

"There's a chance you might be in the wrong business, Rogers."

He didn't respond, his focus was now on something outside the front windshield. Dusk was setting in rapidly, but structures could be made out in the distance beyond a tall barbed- wire fence.

"This is it," he told them.

"The file came from these coordinates," she agreed, checking her phone to make sure.

A haunted look ghosted across Steve's face. "So did I."

* * *

 **Alright, so that was fun. Yay for some kissing. Obviously I altered the movie plot to fit Max in. I hope I did a good job.**

 **Sorry for any spelling/grammar mistakes. I wanted to get this up before I went to bed.**

 **Let me know what you think. You guys are what pushed me to get back on here an update. I can't thank you all enough for reading this and taking the time to leave me a message. It makes me smile, and I'll do anything to smile these days.**

 **Until next time (and not a year later) -KAITi-**


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